


Repeater

by euphowolf



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, First Time, Past Child Abuse, Sex, Sex Work, Strap-Ons, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:20:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26596693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphowolf/pseuds/euphowolf
Summary: Hilda's a successful call girl at a women-only "delivery health" company. Her clients always come out satisfied... but one Edelgard von Hresvelg may be the customer to break that streak.
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 112
Kudos: 265
Collections: clouds wlw favs





	1. First Reservation

**Author's Note:**

> This fic specifically takes place in modern Tokyo, Japan and draws heavily from references to real life "rezu fuuzoku" (lesbian sex services almost exclusively for women). It's a fascinating subject that has been gaining more time in the public eye lately due to the popularity of works such as "My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness" by Nagata Kabi, an autobiographical manga essay in which the author describes her experiences with depression and her eventual experience using one of these services. If you're interested in learning more, I highly recommend checking out the volume, which is available in English via Seven Seas Entertainment, and searching out other resources!
> 
> ...That being said, though this fic is mildly grounded in reality, it is definitely just a terribly self-indulgent Hildagard fic, so please don't take it too seriously, and hopefully my explanations through the story will be sufficient to get a general picture of what the industry might be like.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/190887195@N04/50883909208/in/dateposted-public/)

_Welcome to the homepage of Club Lily: Justice For Girls. Whether you are exploring your sexuality or simply craving the company of the fairer sex, Club Lily has the perfect experience for you. Browse through our hand-picked selection of women-loving women and make a reservation today!_

_FAQs:_

_May I use Club Lily if I am male?_

_In a world where men have a variety of options to choose from in order to satisfy their desires, Club Lily prides itself as a bold and safe space for women to be themselves. If you identify as a man, we unfortunately are unable to provide you access to our services. Thank you for your understanding._

_I’m worried about my privacy. Can I use Club Lily anonymously?_

_Rest assured that Club Lily prioritizes the comfort and safety of its customers and employees alike. All clients may sign up under their preferred nickname, and every cast member goes by a fun, sexy stage name that accurately captures their true spirit. Further information about the steps we take to protect client identity available upon request._

-

Hilda Valentine Goneril squints up at the extravagant hotel in front of her with mixed unease and awe. She stands at the foot of the grand flight of steps at the entrance, wondering if she really has the right address. Surely there’s been some mistake.

In her line of work, Hilda has been to a lot of different hotels. There are whole streets of short-stay establishments dotting the various districts in Shinjuku, and she’s not ashamed to say that she has sampled a fair amount of them. Small ones, elegant ones, weird themed ones where you can rent some really interesting costumes… She’s been to them all. But this ostentatious, gleaming palace she’s walking into is a wholly different matter. Judging from the crystal chandeliers hanging from its soaring ceilings, a night here alone would probably cost a week’s worth of her paycheck. In other words, it’s a _real_ hotel.

She squares her shoulders and sweeps through the busy lobby, her head held high. There’s no cause to be nervous; she belongs here, and she came prepared. When Claude, her manager, looked up the location for her, he had whistled long and low.

“What?” she asked, but he just shook his head.

“Don’t wanna spoil the surprise… but make sure to put on something extra nice.” And then he winked.

“I always look nice,” she snipped back, but she took his advice to heart.

Now, as she marches up to the front desk, she’s glad she did. With her jet-black cocktail dress that clings to her ample curves and her flowing pink hair teased into a stylish updo, she’s dressed to kill. A few men and women physically crane their necks to gawk at her, and she flutters her eyelashes at them. She’s used to more anonymous environments, but she has to admit, she loves the attention.

The receptionist, a balding man in an outfit so starched and stiff that it probably squeaked when he moved, stares down his nose at her as she approaches.

“May I help you, miss?” It looks like the last thing he wants to do.

Hilda rests her elbows on the counter just to annoy him, flashing her teeth in her flirtiest smile. “Why, yes, you can. The name’s Valentine.” Her stage pseudonym. It’s a little on the nose, but hey, with a middle name like that, not using it would simply be a waste. “I believe you have a card waiting for me?”

The man frowns as he successfully pulls her up on the system. “Yes… We have you on record.” With no small reluctance, he hands over a sleek card key. “Room 2610. The elevator is across the lobby, to your left. Enjoy your stay, Miss… Valentine.”

“Thanks!” Hilda snaps the card against her pink nails - regretfully short, courtesy of her occupation - and can’t resist blowing him a kiss as she pivots and walks away. She enjoys his blatant horror more than she probably should. Places like this probably got more hookers than he was even aware of, so any extra prejudice against her is just rude and unnecessary. She slides into the elevator and swipes the card against the sensor, then leans against the back wall and waits, taking the long ride up as an opportunity to check her phone for the details of this assignment once more.

It’s an odd one. Many of her gigs are, but this one stands out because of the lack of details, rather than a surfeit of them. She likes to know what the customer expects and wants, even if it's some directions to treat her more warmly or to be patient with her. People are usually less demanding for the first reservation, when they're still new and unsure, but this one doesn't give anything away at all. The mysterious woman entered "N/A" to nearly every question on the introductory survey. In fact, the only part she had filled in was under "Special Instructions."

_Pick up not required_ , it read. _Meet in hotel room_.

Hilda worries at her lower lip as she contemplates the directive. It’s not uncommon, especially among customers who are embarrassed or value their privacy, but Hilda enjoys the traditional walk from meeting place to hotel. It gives her a head start on figuring out her client’s personality and desires, and it breaks the ice. Getting summoned directly just makes her feel like a regular call girl, and that’s exactly what Hilda wanted to avoid when she joined “Club Lily: Justice For Girls” almost a year ago. Sure, a lot of her job is based around sex, but the exclusively female clientele of the lesbian delivery health company want more than just physical pleasures. They want a therapist, a _friend_ , someone that will treat them like human beings and acknowledge them. And Hilda has always been happy to provide.

She quickly found that she was good at it, too. All she had to do was be her normal, bubbly self, and her clients ate it up. In return, they took care of Hilda, fawned over her, admired and respected her. That’s what made it so different (in Hilda’s eyes, at least) from being just a masseuse at a Soapland or something, not to mention less gross. She didn’t just peddle her body. She bonded with girls who requested her and helped them be their best selves.

If there was one thing Hilda knew, it was how to treat a girl right.

_So, there’s no reason that this is any different_ , Hilda decides now as the elevator finally dings and opens up onto the 26th floor. She’ll be just as nice to this woman - whoever she is, because she didn’t even write down a _name_ \- as she is to everyone else, and at the end of night she’ll hopefully emerge from this swanky hotel with some high-quality stolen toiletries and a new repeat customer.

She stops in front of room 2610 and knocks twice. She could just unlock it herself, of course, but she doesn’t want to spook the person inside. A muffled voice calls out, “Come in,” and Hilda waves her card at the black panel above handle. At the quiet beep, Hilda breathes in deep, plasters on her friendliest smile, and pushes the door in.

It’s a testament to Hilda’s professionalism that her smile doesn’t slip even for a second when she sees who is waiting for her.

The woman sits across the room facing the door, her back ramrod straight. Flowing, blonde hair so platinum it’s almost white frames her stern countenance. She has delicate lips and startling, violet eyes that Hilda wouldn’t mind drowning in. The refined curve of her nose and the graceful arch of her neck give away her good breeding. She wears a modest but clearly expensive white button-up and skinny black jeans, with a stylish bandana tied beneath the collar of her shirt as the only decorative accessory in her ensemble. With her hands clasped in her lap and her legs crossed, she looks like the entrancing subject of some long-lost European painting.

In short, she’s beautiful, she’s a knock-out, she’s drop-dead gorgeous, and Da Vinci would weep to behold her. But while all that would normally have Hilda clicking her heels together in joy, what really grabs her attention is that she _recognizes_ this woman. She has seen her somewhere, or at least a picture of her. It takes Hilda a moment to place her, and when she does, she can’t help but raise her eyebrows a fraction.

The woman is Edelgard von Hresvelg, young and reclusive CEO of Eagle Enterprises, one of the largest tech companies in the country, and this job just got a whole lot more interesting.

“Hiii, cutie! I’m Valentine, but you can just call me Val, if you want.” Hilda launches into her opening salvo without further ado as she steps inside and lets the door shut behind her. “I think you’re expecting me? At least, I’m _really_ hoping you are.” She lets her eyes travel boldly up and down the length of the other woman’s body, not bothering to hide her appreciation, to try and provoke a reaction.

Edelgard does not oblige. She rises to her feet, and even that simple movement is pure poetry. Hot, rich, and young, all at once? Hilda has really hit the jackpot on this one. She’s even the perfect height, only a scant few centimeters taller. Hilda’s imagination jumps into overdrive as she pictures luxury presents, extravagant shopping dates, and of course, extremely nasty and wild sex -

“You’re late.”

Her words cut through Hilda’s dreams like a knife. Hilda blinks, momentarily taken aback, but in the next beat she recovers. “Sorry!” She manages a smile. “I didn’t think the hotel would be so big… Thanks for being so patient. I’ll make sure it’s worth your while.” She winks, although inwardly she’s a tiny bit annoyed. She was off by a mere two or three minutes, and the curtness is totally unwarranted.

Edelgard acknowledges the apology with only a slight shrug. She takes a few paces forward, but instead of greeting Hilda or getting any closer to her, seats herself on the edge of the bed and folds her arms over her chest. “Shall we begin?” she asks, her face still stony.

“M-My, someone’s eager!” Hilda chuckles nervously. What the hell? Is this some kind of power play thing? If that’s the case, she might be into it, but she really does not have enough information right now. Luckily, her job requires her to follow a few more lines of script before she has to switch to ad-libbing. “I’ve got to explain our base rules before we do anything else though, okay? Company policy, and all that.”

Edelgard nods once. Hilda takes her time slipping off her heels and admiring the spacious room before she lowers herself down onto the opposite side of the bed. She’s allowed herself to be shaken, and now she has to work to get back into the right mindset. It hasn’t been three minutes since she’s arrived, and already this is turning out to be stranger than any other job she’s taken.

“Right.” She clears her throat. “Thank you for your reservation with Club Lily. You’ve chosen the 10-hour stay course today, which is a total of 70,000 yen. We do need to get that business out of the way before we can go any further, so may I have your payment now?”

Edelgard reaches into the breast pocket of her shirt and pulls out a thin wad of bills. She hands it over, her intense gaze never leaving Hilda’s face. Hilda counts quickly.

“And that’s seven. Thank you very much!” She stows the money away into her wallet and places her purse on the nightstand. She won’t be needing that for awhile. She turns back to Edelgard, who might as well be a statue, and resumes the customary speech.

“I’m sure you’ve read this all on the website already, but bear with me as I go through some basics so we can establish a safe and fun environment. During our time together, we can do basically anything you like! However, violence, illegal actions, and unhygienic practices are strictly prohibited. Same with taking pictures or videos. This is a stay course, so please allow for at least 4 hours of sleep as well - girls like you and me both need our beauty rest, right?” She pauses, waiting for the usual giggle of agreement, but Edelgard only stares at her. What a complete weirdo. “Um… Cast members - that’s me - have the right to refuse anything we’re not comfortable with. And of course, if I do anything you don’t want me to, just tell me and I’ll stop immediately. I’m here to give you the best night of your life, after all, so don’t be shy, okay?”

By the time she’s done, Hilda’s already exhausted. She’s had quiet clients before, but this is a new low. Thankfully, Edelgard does respond this time.

“I understand,” is all she says. She still doesn’t move, and Hilda has to stop herself from sighing. For such a powerful woman, Edelgard seems awfully passive. She’s starting to wonder why someone like her would need Club Lily’s services in the first place. But the Hresvelgs definitely have money to throw around, so why not? Keeping the thought of a possible future cash cow in mind, Hilda steels herself and throws herself back into her role.

“Well! First thing’s first!” She hops off the bed and extends a hand to Edelgard. “We should take a shower and a bath. Gotta make sure we’re both clean! Oh!” She remembers the almost blank reservation form. “What should I call you, by the way? You didn’t say online…”

Edelgard considers her hand for a few long seconds before finally taking it. A thrill runs through Hilda’s spine at the touch of her cool, slender fingers. Edelgard stands up, and even though she’s not much taller than Hilda, she manages to stare down at her as if she’s no more than a tiny ant.

“I already showered,” she says, and then her eyes narrow. “And you can drop the pretext. I know you know who I am… Hilda.”

Hilda freezes. “W-What did you just call me?”

“Hilda.” Edelgard drops her hand and continues in a voice that sounds of clear, ice-cold water. “Hilda Valentine Goneril. Age 25. Ring a bell?”

Hilda, dumbstruck, gapes at the other woman, who now has just the hint of a smirk playing about her mouth. This is all supposed to be anonymous. Hilda's full name should never be on the lips of a paying customer. There are rules, boundaries, and the woman before her has broken through them. Fear rises up in Hilda's throat and she backs away, reaching towards her purse. She's never, ever had a reason to halt a session before, but she's sure got grounds for it now.

"I-I think I need to go-"

"Wait!" Edelgard grabs her wrist before she can find her phone. The smirk is gone, replaced with a sudden look of panic. "I know this must feel like a violation of your privacy but… I had to protect myself." Protect herself? What the hell does that mean? _Hilda’s_ the one who needs protecting right now. At her dubious expression, Edelgard continues, "Please. Hear me out first."

And Hilda doesn't know why, but she stops. Something about the other woman's earnestness intrigues her. Against her better judgement, she exhales heavily and turns around. "Okay."

The blonde does not thank her, but she relaxes her shoulders and lets go of Hilda's arm.

"First, I'd like to confirm… Do you know who I am?"

Hilda toys with the idea of lying, but there's no point. She throws up her hands helplessly. "Yeah. Edelgard von Hresvelg. But I'm not a stalker!" she hastens to add. "You're like… everywhere these days." At 24, Edelgard's one of the youngest businesswomen in Tokyo, and her family's wealth is legendary. The fact that she is very, very attractive plays no small part in her fame as well.

Edelgard dips her head in agreement, to Hilda's surprise. "Exactly. For better or for worse, I am… often recognized. So when it comes to things like these…" She trails off, but Hilda can put two and two together.

Edelgard must see the understanding in her face, because she moves on. "I accept the responsibility for infringing upon the rules of this arrangement. If you want to walk out, that's fine. I'll give you extra either way, if you promise to keep your mouth shut. However…" Her tone shifts into a more threatening one. "If this gets out, if rumors start spreading about me… I know your real name. I can access any information I want about you. And trust me when I say that I can make your life miserable."

Hilda opens her mouth, fully intending to defend her honor. Sure, she likes to gossip as much as the next person, but she can keep her mouth shut when it counts. How dare Edelgard doubt her? She doesn’t even _know_ Hilda.

_But that’s exactly it_ , Hilda realizes. As someone in such a high position, Hresvelg has a long way to fall. She’s taking a huge risk by even being here, so her paranoia is at least somewhat rational. It’s hard to fault her for taking precautions, even if they were unnecessarily invasive.

Hilda wracks her brains for a way to calm Edelgard and tell her what she needs to hear. Odd situation or no, she’s still a client. If she can’t convince the woman to trust her, then Hilda’s not doing her job right.

“I appreciate your concerns, Miss Hresvelg,” she starts. She’s laying it on a little thick, perhaps, but the atmosphere seems to call for it, and Edelgard is listening now. “But rest assured, Club Lily has always prioritized the privacy and safety of its users. We’ll keep your identity in the strictest of confidences.”

Edelgard cocks her head, unsatisfied. “I’m aware of your company’s reputation, _Miss_ Goneril.” Hilda kinda hates how good her surname sounds on Edelgard’s tongue. “That’s why I chose it in the first place. What I want to know is… Can _you_ keep a secret?”

Hilda’s breath catches as her eyes meet Edelgard’s violet ones. She forces herself not to flinch, to confront them without hesitation.

“You have my word. I swear, I won’t tell anyone.”

She feels Edelgard appraising her, weighing her promise against her posture, searching for sincerity. Eventually, however, the blonde nods warily.

"I'll believe you. For now." She takes a deep breath, but the tension does not leave her. In fact, it only seems to increase. "Which leaves just one more question…"

She takes a step closer to Hilda, but this time, it isn't to intimidate. Edelgard sucks in one cheek apprehensively, and when she speaks, it is barely above a murmur.

"Will you stay?"

Hilda spots the way Edelgard’s hands have balled into fists and realizes that the other woman is actually trembling. It’s subtle, but unmistakable to someone with Hilda’s eye for body language. Edelgard von Hresvelg, CEO, entrepreneur, a woman who makes more money than most people could even dream of - and somehow, _she’s_ the one who’s anxious.

Can anyone blame Hilda for being just a teensy bit intrigued?

She does some quick calculations in her head. On one hand, saying yes would be a terrible idea. Cancelling the reservation and making a report to Claude would be the most ethical course of action to take. Company policy is there for a reason, and allowing even one client to bend the rules invites a host of problems. Hilda has a clean record, unlike some of her coworkers, and she’s loath to break contract when Club Lily has been so good to her. On the other hand, she had recognized Edelgard on sight, so it was only fair that Edelgard had dug up Hilda’s identity for leverage. As long as it’s a one-time thing, Hilda can’t see why she shouldn’t just keep this little transgression to herself. And besides, she’s burning with curiosity. This might be her sole chance to cozy up to all but literal royalty.

She makes her voice casual. “How much extra are we talking?”

“Double the base price,” Edelgard fires back instantly.

“And… you’ll give me that much, whether I leave or not?”

Disappointment flashes across those regal features, then disappears. “Yes…”

It’s a lot of money, and Hilda doesn’t even have to work for it. All she has to do is keep quiet and walk away. The decision comes way too easily.

Hilda lifts her hand and, before Edelgard can stop her, reaches out and playfully tweaks the other woman’s nose.

“I’ll stay. Only because I’m dying to know what kind of kinky stuff the rich and famous are into.” She leans into Edelgard’s surprise and puts on a sultry grin. “And because you’re hot.”

When Edelgard takes an involuntary step back and sputters, Hilda knows her gamble has paid off. The best way to crack open a client is to get under her skin, and not even Miss Hresvelg herself can stop a flush from creeping up her neck. _Finally_ , a reaction.

More confident now, Hilda takes Edelgard by one elbow. The tastefully toned biceps she finds under her fingers are an exciting discovery.

“So, Miss Hresvelg? Or can I call you Edelgard? Shall we hop into the shower?”

Again, Edelgard balks. She extricates herself from Hilda’s grasp and puts more distance between them.

“Like I said, I already showered.” She grips one shoulder with the opposite arm and averts her gaze in a clear signal of discomfort. “I’ll wait for you.”

Geez. Hilda could tell that Edelgard was a complicated gal, but she’s never had a customer refuse to bathe with her before. Freshening up together and getting familiar with each other’s bodies is a vital part of the process, not to mention part of Club Lily’s rules to ensure proper hygiene. She chews on her lower lip, wondering if she should insist, but Edelgard’s wound up enough as it is, and Hilda’s in way too deep now.

_In for a penny_ …

Hilda closes the gap between them in one swift movement and cups the blonde’s cheek in one hand. Edelgard’s eyes widen in shock as Hilda brings her face right up to hers. She grins, then makes an exaggerated show of inhaling. The fresh scent of lavender soap is enough confirmation for her.

“I suppose I could let it slide,” she whispers, “if you make it worth my while.”

Edelgard jerks back as violently as if Hilda had slapped her. Hilda, already expecting it, lets her go without resistance. She’s starting to get a good idea of how Edelgard might respond to teasing, and the implications are fascinating. For all her threats and poise and power, the businesswoman conducts herself like a pent-up virgin with no experience. Could that really be the case?

Edelgard’s already gained her composure. She straightens her blouse and crosses her arms, giving Hilda a hard look.

“ _I’m_ the one paying _you_ , not the other way around.” She glances at the thin watch on her wrist meaningfully. “And I hired you for ten hours, so you’d better stop wasting my time.”

Hilda grimaces. There’s an unspoken agreement that mentioning the contractual aspect of these exchanges is ill-mannered, and it chafes at her nerves that Edelgard thinks she can order her around like she’s some subordinate at her company.

Fine, if that’s the way she wants to play it, Hilda won’t hold back. The pink-haired girl spins around on one heel and looks back over her shoulder at Edelgard as she sashays over to the bathroom. “I’ll be right back, then,” she says sweetly. “Feel free to get comfortable!”

She’s lying through her teeth, of course. Such a classy room is bound to have a dozen skincare amenities, and after Edelgard’s rudeness, Hilda intends to take her time trying them all out.

-

Hilda’s soak in the bathtub is way longer than humanly appropriate. By the time she finally drains the scented water and towels off, she’s actually feeling a bit guilty. She’d wanted to drag it out, just to needle Edelgard, but before she even knew it, she got caught up in pampering herself. There were a plethora of lotions and creams just begging to be tested, and Hilda’s only a girl. The temptation was too much.

She shrugs on one of the fluffy, decadent bathrobes that the hotel provided and checks herself out in the mirror. She’s cute, and that’s not just her ego talking. Even without the heavy makeup she had entered with, her pouty lips and heart-shaped face are enough to make most people take a second look.

Edelgard von Hresvelg, however, is not “most people.” After a brief inner debate, Hilda applies a smidge of concealer, just to even out her complexion, and is much more satisfied with her appearance when she finishes. Despite all her experience, her heartbeat quickens at the prospect of what awaits her outside. It’s not every day she gets to fuck a CEO. She blows a parting kiss at her reflection to get in the mood, then eases open the bathroom door.

The first thing Hilda notices is that the room is dead silent. Edelgard looks up at her as she walks in. The blonde, still fully dressed, kneels in picture-perfect seiza style in the exact center of the bed. Judging by her rigidity, she’s been like that for awhile.

“What the… Have you just been sitting there the whole time?” Hilda blurts out. “You could’ve at least turned the TV on or something!”

When Edelgard blinks at her in confusion, Hilda sighs and shakes her head. This is going to be even more difficult than she anticipated. She crosses over to the bed and climbs onto it so that she can take the other woman’s hands into her own warm ones.

“Hey,” she begins. “I need you to relax, okay? This really isn’t a big deal.”

Edelgard’s brow furrows as she glares back. “I know that,” she grates.

“Uh-huh.” Hilda pats the covers. “Come on, just looking at you makes _my_ bones ache.”

Edelgard unfolds her knees out from under her in a crackle of popping joints. Hilda makes an effort not to roll her eyes, but she also feels an unexpected pang of sympathy. She’s had customers freeze up like this before, although not to such an alarming degree; if she doesn’t get Edelgard to loosen up, it’s going to be unpleasant for them both.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Hilda asks, running a thumb over Edelgard’s knuckles. Even that touch is enough to make her flinch. “You don’t have to force yourself, if you’re nervous. We can go as slow as you like.”

Her words do not have the desired effect. Edelgard’s expression shutters and she sets her jaw in a stubborn snarl.

"I'm perfectly fine," she snaps. "You may proceed."

"Uh… Okay." _Why does it feel like I'm administering medicine or something?_ But Edelgard's brilliant eyes gleam with impatience, and Hilda is tired of arguing with her. She takes Edelgard's aristocratic chin between thumb and forefinger and tilts the blonde's head. Maybe making out with her will turn her into less of a bitch. Without any further delay, Hilda swoops forth and presses her mouth to Edelgard's.

Hilda's got one thing right. Edelgard is a _lot_ more tolerable when they're kissing. The businesswoman stiffens, but she doesn't pull away, and her incredibly soft lips part at the slightest increase of pressure from Hilda’s end. _Greedy_ , Hilda thinks, and she smiles into the kiss. She can work with that.

She shifts her legs into a more comfortable position and leans one hand upon the bed to steady herself, sliding the other one under Edelgard's hair so she can cup the back of the other woman's neck. Edelgard shivers under the contact, but her fists remain in her lap, as if she doesn't know what to do with them. Hilda can admit that it's kind of adorable, the way she's trying to hold back, and it makes breaking down her defenses all the more appealing. She decides to up the ante, and after a brief nibble on Edelgard's lower lip that makes her gasp, she slips her tongue into the other woman's mouth.

Edelgard tastes of mint and trepidation. Hilda's tongue touches hers, and she groans low and astonished in her throat. The sound sends heat traveling to the pit of Hilda's stomach. _This_ is why she stayed. She does her best to keep it cool, drawing out the slow exploration of teeth and lips and saliva, but she gives up as soon as Edelgard's hands leap to the front of her bathrobe to yank her deeper into the kiss. Hilda falls forward in inches, and for all her bark and bite, Edelgard lies back to accommodate her obligingly.

They sink into the bed together, Hilda's curvaceous body flush against Edelgard's more slender one. The sash of her bathrobe has come just loose enough that she can feel the silken fabric of Edelgard's top against her bare stomach. The blonde is too clothed, in Hilda's humble opinion, and she resolves to rectify that.

The bandana under Edelgard's chin comes away easily and drifts to the floor after Hilda tosses it aside carelessly. She breaks away from the welcoming wetness of Edelgard's mouth, but only so that she can scrape her teeth along the white flesh of the other girl's neck. It's such a rush, to feel Edelgard flex and arch beneath her, and suddenly, all Hilda wants to do is feel more. She slides her palm down the front of Edelgard's blouse, seeking the hem, finding a flash of warm skin under it -

A vice-like grip clamps down on Hilda's wrist, arresting the progress of her hand. Hilda jolts away, and there is Edelgard, brow furrowed, eyes wild.

"Stop."

Hilda rolls off of Edelgard immediately, alarmed and confused.

"S-Sorry!" Edelgard sits up as well, looking a bit disheveled but no worse for wear. "Did I do something you didn't like?"

Edelgard frowns, and Hilda expects to be sent home right then and there, but instead she shakes her head. "No…" she says slowly. "That's not…" A deep breath, an unsteady exhalation. "Please continue."

Hilda almost protests. Edelgard’s reprimand had felt like a bucket of ice water being dumped on her head, and it wasn’t something she could just normally let slide. Communication is paramount for a good session. But when she searches Edelgard’s face, she finds an inexplicable determination there that makes her pause.

“If that’s what you want…” Cautiously, she bends forward once more, and Edelgard tenses. She raises an arm, keeping it in Edelgard’s line of sight so it doesn’t startle her, and brushes the other woman’s silvery, silky hair behind the shell of one ear.

“You’re really pretty, you know.” Edelgard doesn’t reply, just blinks, and Hilda kisses her again.

This time, she doesn’t even get to lay Edelgard back down again before getting shoved away. A tendril of irritation flares up when she sees Edelgard wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Seriously?!”

“I know, I know!” Edelgard, for her part, seems even more frustrated than Hilda is. She bunches up the sheets in her fists like a child throwing a tantrum, but her rage is directed at herself, not Hilda. "I'm not - I can't -" Her nostrils flare, and her chest begins to heave with visible exertion.

Hilda reflexively grabs her by the shoulders before it devolves into a full-blown panic attack. "Edelgard! Edelgard, breathe." Edelgard does as she asks for once, and through sheer force of will, gets her shuddering under control. It's actually kind of concerning; Hilda can only guess at how much practice she has in bottling up her emotions, but it's clearly an unhealthy amount. "Are you, um, alright now?"

"Yes." They both know it's a lie. Hilda bites back a sigh. This is so much harder than dealing with a regular customer. Rich people are _so_ weird.

"Look," she says, letting go of Edelgard and sitting back a bit. She does her best to sound calm and soothing. "Maybe we should talk this through, first? Like, could you tell me your reasons for using Club Lily?"

Hilda doesn't know why she even bothered. Edelgard's mouth clamps shut.

"That's not something I'm willing to discuss at this time."

Hilda counts to ten in her head, seeking patience in the ceiling as she does so. "Okay… Well, can you at least tell me what you want me to do?"

Edelgard takes a little longer to respond this time, and when she does, it's with a note of chagrin. "I… don't know."

Hilda can’t help it; she throws her hands up in exasperation. At the last moment, she makes a half-hearted effort to pretend she’s just scratching the back of her head, although there’s no hope of fooling anyone.

...Or there wouldn’t be, if Edelgard didn’t suddenly look distracted. Her striking eyes flick downward, and when Hilda glances down, too, she realizes that when she raised her arms, the gap in her bathrobe had widened with the motion, exposing the curve of her cleavage.

Of course. Now, why didn’t she think of that earlier?

Hilda leans in, purposely letting her bathrobe fall open a bit more. She drops her voice low, making it go husky.

“Then… How about you touch me, instead?”

The bob of Edelgard’s throat as she swallows hard is all the answer Hilda needs.

Hilda takes Edelgard’s hand and guides it forward, enjoying Edelgard’s increasingly astonished expression right up until the point the tips of her nails brush against Hilda’s chest. She cups her fingers over Edelgard’s to make them curl around one of her perky, ample breasts, then lets go.

“I’ve never…” Edelgard licks her lips. She doesn’t move her hand, but she doesn’t pull away either. “I’m not sure what to do.” The way she looks up at Hilda so guiltily, so politely, her lofty demeanor nowhere to be seen, makes Hilda grin. _Much_ better.

“You can squeeze a little harder,” she purrs, shrugging the bathrobe off so that it slides down her shoulders and pools at her waist, allowing easy access. “Be as rough as you want.”

But the way Edelgard brushes a curious thumb over the pink, hardening nub of her nipple is anything but rough. Transfixed, she brings her other hand over, sinking them both into the softness of Hilda’s flesh. Hilda’s boobs are perfect, and she’s quite proud of the fact. She makes a satisfied little noise as Edelgard takes her advice and toys with them more firmly - mostly for show, because she’s not nearly that sensitive, but it’s enough to embolden the other woman. She grows more confident as she kneads and gropes until even Hilda’s breath begins to hitch.

“Y-You can use your mouth too,” she murmurs, and a flame stirs in Edelgard’s dark pupils. The blonde shifts closer and lowers her head uncertainly, watching Hilda’s face all the while, but when she finally runs her warm tongue over Hilda’s right nipple, there is no hesitation in the way she bites down. Hilda moans, loud and encouraging, and lets Edelgard push her down onto the bed.

It’s the same position as before, only now Edelgard’s on top, and it’s a pleasant surprise, how much Hilda likes it. Most customers want her to take the lead, so getting to lie back and have someone else do the work is a nice respite. Hilda might be a sex goddess, but she’s also just a girl, and it’s nice to feel wanted.

And oh, how Edelgard _wants_ her. She presses kisses to Hilda’s collarbone, digging in with her teeth and leaving marks, no longer shy. In spite of herself, excitement flutters within Hilda’s ribcage. She grabs one of Edelgard’s wrists and pushes it lower, down past her torso.

“Touch me,” she rasps, and Edelgard obeys. Her eyes widen when her fingers seek out and find the excessive slickness beneath Hilda’s legs. Hilda smiles and brings her arms back up, cupping both of the other woman’s cheeks and turning her head so that the two of them are staring straight at each other.

“Do you feel that?” Hilda whispers. Edelgard nods, dazed. “ _You_ did that. I’m so wet because of _you_.” The blonde is flushed to the tips of her ears already, but she somehow turns even redder. Hilda presses the attack, grinding down her hips more insistently against Edelgard’s hand.

“Put a finger in,” she orders, then laughs breathily. “Two, if you want. Goddess knows I’m ready enough. Mm…” A groan escapes her lips as Edelgard sinks into her, knuckle-deep. “Yeah, that’s nice… K-Keep going…”

Tentatively at first, Edelgard begins to rub her fingers back and forth. She has to adjust her angle several times, but eventually she settles into a steady rhythm, pumping in and out in time to Hilda’s own thrusts.

“Yes… Fuck… That’s good…” The mounting friction turns Hilda’s speech into gasps, and though she wasn’t faking it before, she really doesn’t need to exaggerate now. She’s had better sex before, of course, with far more experienced people, but there is something infinitely attractive about the single-minded intensity with which Edelgard fucks her. She hardly makes a sound, only mutters occasionally to check that what she’s doing is alright, but Hilda is loud enough for the both of them.

“Come on, a little harder,” Hilda croons into her ear. “You can do it. You’re so _good_.”

At the praise, Edelgard increases her pace even more, a ruthless onslaught that makes it nearly impossible for Hilda to speak. Hilda keeps up the compliments anyway, mouthing sweet words into the crook of the other woman’s neck as she hugs her close.

“ _Fuck_ yes,” she whines when Edelgard crooks her fingers in a particular manner that has her slamming straight into Hilda’s weak spot. “M-My clit too, oh _babe_ , yes, don’t stop - ”

Edelgard presses her thumb hard into the sensitive bundle of nerves and holds it there as she continues to pump in and out of Hilda’s entrance. They’re both panting now, their frenzied breaths mixing in a haze of heat and sex. Hilda calls Edelgard’s name over and over, all thought of the job a mere memory, only wishing now to crest the tide of arousal that rises from deep within her core. She flexes and tosses under Edelgard’s watchful gaze, making sure even in her ecstasy that Edelgard is fully aware of how good she’s making her feel.

“J-Just a bit more, please, I’m almost there, _Edelgard_ \- ”

Edelgard goes even faster, throwing her whole upper torso into every thrust, but it is only when her lips clumsily collide with Hilda’s that Hilda clenches down hard upon her fingers. Edelgard’s tongue licks into her mouth, seeking and tasting, and Hilda’s vision blurs as she comes _hard_ , waves of pleasure wracking her body and making her tremble. She doesn’t even have to ask Edelgard to keep going - the blonde instinctively stays inside Hilda, just how Hilda likes it, catching every buck and twist until she stills.

Hilda is significantly more tired than anticipated when her heart rate finally slows down. Edelgard slides off of her and gets up from the bed to head to the bathroom and clean up. Hilda simply sprawls where she lies, breathing still heavy. She had not expected to enjoy that as much as she did, but it reminds her all over again why she loves her job. She stretches indulgently against the now-sweaty sheets, and when Edelgard walks back into the room, she smiles at her with the steep, post-orgasm contentment.

“None for you?” she asks, gesturing to Edelgard’s lower half. Edelgard shakes her head, and Hilda shrugs. “Your loss. But at least get changed!” She’s still wearing her ridiculous, prim and proper outfit.

“I don’t believe that’s necessary,” Edelgard begins stiffly, but Hilda is having none of that.

“Come on, cuddling is the best part.” She pats the covers beside her and beckons with an inviting smirk, complete with a twist of her body that puts her curves on display. “You know you want to.”

Edelgard shuts her eyes, then stares up, studiously avoiding looking at Hilda. But she does nod, and turns around, grabbing one of the prepared bathrobes off the top of the dresser. Hilda giggles, delighted with this small victory, and snuggles into the nest of pillows to wait.

Of course, she doesn’t account for how long Edelgard will take, or how exhausted she really is. The dim lighting doesn’t help, either. Before she knows it, she’s drifted off into a light slumber, and when a dip of the mattress awakens her, the room is pitch black. Half-asleep, she feels something brush against the bare skin of her back. After a few seconds, a hand slides timidly over the plane of her waist and pulls her against a warm and soft figure. She debates upon turning over to take one last look at those gorgeous purple eyes, but in the next moment, a pair of lips press gently against the nape of her neck. A sigh - of relaxation, of tension being released - tickles her ear.

“Goodnight… Hilda,” comes a whisper in the dark.

Hilda smiles to herself even as she slips back into the land of dreams.

Her last thought is, _Goodnight, Edelgard_.

-

To Hilda’s utter disappointment, she is alone when she wakes up. Sunlight, creeping through a slit in the curtains, falls across her eyelids and forces her to open them. She sits up languidly, yawning, and works out a kink in her neck before looking around the room for signs of her missing customer.

Edelgard’s coat is no longer on the hanger by the entrance, and her heels are gone as well. The second bathrobe has been folded and placed back on the wardrobe by the TV. Hilda frowns; the rules for an overnight stay call for a few hours of rest, but it kind of stings that Edelgard didn’t wake her up for another round, or even just to say goodbye before slinking out.

Oh, well. She flops back down, reliving her memories from the night before. She had a really nice time, even if it had been awkward and totally bizarre at first, and in the end, Edelgard at least seemed like she had liked it, too. She wouldn’t even mind if the CEO didn’t make good on her promise of double pay.

But when she rolls over and grabs the payment envelope from the nightstand on her side of the bed, she does indeed find an additional seven 10,000 yen bills inside it, for a total of fourteen. She fans through them, pleased that her efforts were fruitful. One of her biggest payouts, and she barely had to do anything at all! She won’t get another one like this for awhile, which is a shame, because she really could get used to this kind of luxury treatment. Hilda decides that she’ll at least milk every last minute she can spend in this room. She’s not so much of a free-loader as to heap on extra charges, but checkout isn’t until 12 pm, and she could use a bit more sleep - and maybe another soak in the bath.

She pulls out her phone from her purse for a customary, post-wake up scroll through her social media feeds. Before she can even open Instagram or Twitter, however, an email notification icon in the corner of her screen catches her eye. It’s for her work address. Another job already, because Hilda’s a popular girl, and every woman that stumbles across Club Lily’s website jumps at the chance to sleep with her. She briefly wonders if she should just ask Claude to cancel it - she only works enough to support a comfortable life, and the money from Edelgard will last her quite awhile - but she opens the attached reservation questionnaire anyway, just to see who it is.

The form is glaringly empty, with only the barest of details. It lists a date and time of a week from now, and the stay course is selected. Hilda scans it and notices two things that make her mouth go dry.

First, under the question, _Have you used our service before? If so, how many times?_ are a simple “Yes,” and the number “1.”

Second, under _Nickname_ are the initials “E.H.”

There’s only one possibility, but Hilda checks the whole thing over two more times to be sure. There’s no mistaking what her gut already knows.

Unbidden, the corners of her mouth lift.

“Well, well,” Hilda says aloud to the empty room. “You sure are full of surprises, Miss Hresvelg.”

Looks like she has herself a repeat customer.


	2. Second Reservation

_Q: I’m not sure what hotel I should use for health/stay courses._

_A: Many love hotels these days allow female couples to reserve rooms. If you are uncomfortable with using a love hotel, business hotels or other locations are acceptable as well. We reserve the right to refuse a reservation based on the location selected. Please refer to the list below for facilities that are popular among our customers._

Edelgard von Hresvelg is not, by nature, an impatient woman.

As the daughter of a vicious business dynasty and the CEO of one of the wealthiest companies in the world, she learned the art of self-restraint early on. Keeping one’s cool, examining a situation from all sides before making a decision, waiting for the most opportune moment to make one’s move - these are the essential skills drilled into the minds of all Hresvelg children from birth, and she has spent the past 24 years of her life honing them. 

So it is with no small amount of distress that Edelgard realizes, yet again, she is glaring at the digital clock on her desk, willing for the inexorable seconds to tick by faster. With a snort of self-disgust, she forces herself to turn her attention back to her computer monitor, upon which are the quarter reports she is supposed to be reviewing. Normally, the numbers are a comfort, an intricate puzzle to piece together. Now, however, the charts and graphs swim across her vision with maddening opacity, evading her understanding. 

She spends a few game seconds trying to concentrate on the information, but when she finds herself staring at the clock once more, she heaves a sigh and minimizes the spreadsheets. Clearly, her mind cannot be tempted into productivity, and she only needs to stay for another ten or so minutes, anyway. As CEO, she can technically leave whenever she wants, but it sets a bad example for her employees, and Edelgard has never wanted to be the kind of boss who leaves the dirty work to her underlings. 

Nevermind that she isn’t exactly working. 

She opens up an incognito tab on her browser and pulls up the homepage for Club Lily once more. Edelgard has spent a rather mortifying amount of time on this website in the past month - first when arguing with herself in circles for days about the rationality of actually making a reservation, and then even _more_ hours after her encounter with a certain woman with dyed pink hair just a week ago. It’s infuriating, honestly, having her mind digging into the same, tired tracks despite her best attempts to divert it. She wishes for no more than the ability to crack open her skull and scoop out the damned obsession entirely. In the absence of that happy option, she clicks on the cast members tab and scrolls down like usual until she finds Hilda's profile.

Edelgard has scanned over the tiny blurb so many times she can practically recite it from memory. Hilda's an Aquarius, she loves shopping and fashion, she's a "nice and firm C cup ;)"... Edelgard experienced _that_ firsthand, and she can feel her cheeks color as she remembers it. Every word written in her self-introduction was directly antithetical to all of Edelgard’s values, beliefs, and upbringing. Her lip had actually curled in instinctual disgust upon reading it.

But she had lingered on Hilda’s photo, drinking in her flirty smile, her bright and cheerful eyes, the peek of cleavage in the corner, and found to her horror that she could not look away. She submitted a reservation request soon after, and was subsequently subjected to one of the most confusing yet pleasurable nights of her life.

“Edelgard?” 

Edelgard jolts out of her reverie and straightens in her chair. Her personal secretary is standing in the doorway of her office wearing a half-amused, half-concerned expression.

“D-Dorothea! I didn’t see you there.”

“I know,” Dorothea Arnault teases, and she steps inside. “I’ve been watching you make faces at your computer for about three minutes. Everything okay?” She approaches the desk so that she can peer at the screen.

Edelgard panics and hastily exits the tab with an audible click. She realizes her mistake as Dorothea’s eyebrows lift a fraction.

“Oh? Am I interrupting something?”

“No! I’m just - The quarter reports -” Her feeble excuses die in her throat.

“Edie, if you’re watching porn at work, all you have to do is let me know, and I’ll make sure no one disturbs you…”

Edelgard flushes and slams the flat of her palm on the table. “ _That’s not what I was doing!_ ”

Dorothea is already laughing at her. She only entered the company a few months ago, but she was capable and friendly from the beginning, and had no trouble treating Edelgard as just another human being instead of as a figure to be feared and obeyed. Normally, Edelgard prefers that. Right now, though, she crosses her arms in front of her chest and huffs.

“What do you want?”

Dorothea leans upon the desk and gestures casually. “Oh, Petra and I are eating dinner out later and I just thought I’d ask if you’d like to come along.” She winks. “You sound like you need some R & R.”

Edelgard shuts down her PC and begins packing her things away, studiously avoiding making eye contact. “Sorry, not tonight.”

“Aw, come on, you know we love having you around.”

Edelgard enjoys the company of Dorothea and her lovely partner as well, and under different circumstances, she wouldn’t hesitate to tag along with them. She almost regrets having to turn her down.

“I do appreciate the offer,” she says, standing up and pushing in her chair, “but I already have plans for the evening.”

“Really?” Dorothea tilts her head in sudden interest. “What are you doing? Is it a _date_?”

Edelgard resists the urge to cringe, but only barely. She makes a show of rolling her eyes. “I don’t see why that’s the first conclusion you always jump to.”

Dorothea shrugs. “What can I say? I guess I have high hopes.” She lays a hand on Edelgard’s shoulder and continues, mockingly serious, “It’s not good to be so pent up and tense all the time, hon… I have some contacts, if you ever need a hot girl to help you loosen up...”

The joke hits too close to home. Edelgard jerks back and splutters wordlessly, and Dorothea's eyes widen with dawning comprehension. 

“Why, Edie…” she says wonderingly. “Don’t tell me you actually have a -”

Edelgard points a finger at the other woman. “Dorothea Arnault, if you say another word, I will have you fired, then blacklisted from every company within a 20-kilometer radius.”

Dorothea just giggles at her empty threat and pushes her arm aside. Edelgard knows defeat when she sees it. The only way to salvage the situation is to turn tail and run, so she dodges past her pretty, kind, and incredibly vexing secretary and marches toward the exit.

“Just - Just lock up everything, please. And tell everyone to go home, if they haven’t already.”

“Aye-aye, captain,” Dorothea calls from behind her. “Have a _lovely_ night!”

Edelgard flees the room, her ears burning red. Surely whatever awaits her at the end of this evening isn’t worth this amount of embarrassment. She should just call it off - if not for the risk of scandal, then at least so Dorothea won’t have more material to make fun of her with.

But then she thinks about Hilda, about the soft, desperate sounds she made as she writhed under Edelgard and about how she might hear those sounds again in just a few hours, and she shivers. Deep down, she knows there is no question of canceling, and so with both shame and anticipation beating against her ribcage, she turns toward home to get ready.

-

It’s a different hotel this time, to preserve anonymity and avoid sleuthing paparazzi, but similarly extravagant. Club Lily’s website has a list of recommended establishments for their services, but Edelgard spurned the thought of doing such an intimate deed between thin walls, on semen-covered sheets. If she’s going to debase herself by giving into the siren call of her stupid flesh, she might as well do it somewhere comfortable. 

Besides, Edelgard rather likes Hilda’s expression of admiration when she lets herself into the room. Thanks to her meticulous research, she knows a few things about Hilda’s background. And while the woman has by no means ever been poor, Edelgard gets the feeling she isn’t too used to such finery. Being able to treat her is strangely… pleasant.

Edelgard frowns. She’s only here to take care of an annoying yet unavoidable need. She doesn’t have the luxury of getting attached.

“You’re late,” she grates as soon as Hilda shuts the door behind her. “Again.”

Hilda doesn’t quite manage to hide her scowl, but she smooths it away quickly enough. “Nice to see you again, too, sweetie!” She blows a kiss in between slipping off her heels. When she bends down, Edelgard can see directly down her top. It is mildly distressing. “Thanks for requesting me a second time, by the way. You must’ve really had fun last week, huh?”

“I didn’t want to make the effort of researching another girl’s background. That’s all.” Edelgard’s reply is so smooth, she almost convinces herself.

Hilda pouts. “And here I thought we’d gotten closer!” She sighs dramatically and flutters her eyelashes. “After you were _such_ a good girl, too…”

Edelgard maintains a calm voice, even as her heart does a wild flip-flop inside her chest at the mention of their previous encounter. She can do this. She can remain in control of the situation. “Stop wasting my time, Hilda.” She pulls out the cash she prepared. “Your payment.”

Hilda takes the proffered envelope and slits it with expert precision, riffling through the bills. She glances up once she has finished counting. “14 again?”

“Yes. As a Hresvelg, I have a reputation to uphold. I can’t risk any word of this getting out. Think of it as a measure to ensure your continuing silence -”

“I’m _not_ going to rat you out,” Hilda snaps, cutting her off abruptly. To Edelgard’s complete befuddlement, the pink-haired woman actually stomps her foot. _Why is she so angry at getting paid extra?_ Unable to puzzle it out, Edelgard simply waits, and after a moment, Hilda deflates.

“Sorry. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. I’ll take it.” She stows the money away, then drops her purse on top of the small table by the entrance. “But… You really don’t need to worry about your privacy with me.” She takes a deep breath and, with admirable composure, recovers her usual facade. “Shall we?”

Edelgard nods cautiously, still bemused by the sudden display of temper. But Hilda brushes by her before she can question her further and launches into basically the same speech about ground rules that she had recited during their first session. Edelgard remembers every word, but she relaxes as she listens to it anyway. It has the feel of routine—of business—and that’s something Edelgard’s familiar with. It’s just like establishing the terms of a contract, and she has done plenty of that in her career. 

“Well, any questions?” Hilda asks, wrapping up. “I know you’ve heard it all before…”

Edelgard shakes her head. “You were perfectly clear.”

“And as for the bath…”

“I’ve already washed.” 

Hilda doesn’t look surprised, but she does look a bit irritated. Edelgard knows she’s somewhat flouting the Club Lily guidelines, but she’s not about to get naked with the other woman. Not right now. Just the thought of it makes her tense up.

Thankfully, Hilda doesn’t argue, even though she obviously wants to. “Suit yourself! It’s way more fun with two people though.” Her gaze travels brazenly up and down the length of Edelgard’s body, making Edelgard feel exposed. “And I’d love to see what you look like underneath all that. Not that I mind the outfit.”

Edelgard squirms inwardly at the indirect compliment. After a good twenty minutes of debate in front of the mirror, she had elected to put on one of her more casual pant suits, a blue number with a sharp cut that accentuates her slender legs and waist. It’s more appropriate for a business meeting than a… whatever this is, but Hilda’s appreciation seems genuine. Which makes it all the more difficult to deal with.

“I’ll wait for you,” Edelgard says, electing to ignore the come-on. She sits down on one of the sofas on the other side of the room and crosses her arms. “Try not to take too long.”

Hilda grins at her and swears that she won’t in her most innocent tone, which immediately confirms to Edelgard that she’ll be in the bathroom for at least an hour. Edelgard doesn’t press for a more concrete promise, although she’s tempted; she needs sufficient time to mentally prepare herself, anyway. 

Just as she settles down to do a breathing exercise or two, the bathroom door swings open again. Hilda peeks out around it, her hair already untied, her shoulders very visible and horrifyingly bare. 

“Oh, forgot to mention…” She flashes her teeth. “You should really get changed. It’s a lot easier to, ah, _move around_ in a robe. Okay, bye!” She pulls back inside before Edelgard can even stutter out a response. 

The CEO of Eagle Enterprises buries her face in her hands. She knew a second round would be a mistake. 

But, after a few minutes of listening to the water run in the bath and Hilda’s loud, tuneless humming, she gets up from her seat and reaches for one of the hotel bathrobes anyway.

-

Just as predicted, Hilda doesn’t emerge from the bathroom for a whole forty minutes, and when she finally does, her skin positively glows with the probably thirty different lotions and scrubs she helped herself to. Upon noticing that Edelgard has finally shed her street attire, she nods approvingly. 

“Much better!”

Having stumbled upon the successful strategy of changing the subject every time Hilda makes a remark she doesn’t know how to respond to, Edelgard only scoffs.

“Do your baths always last this long?"

Hilda rolls her shoulders and massages her neck in an exaggerated manner. “Well, it’s such a nice hotel… Besides, it wouldn’t be a waste of time if we got in together, like we’re supposed to.”

“With you sampling every beauty product in the cupboard? Hardly likely. Maybe _you_ should be paying _me_ for all the free perks.”

A shadow flickers over Hilda’s features, so quickly that Edelgard wonders if she imagined it. In the next moment, Hilda fixes on a customer service smile and glides over to the sofa. 

“That’s only ‘cause I know you want me to look my best! Now…” A mischievous gleam enters her eyes, and before Edelgard can shoot to her feet or at least gain a more advantageous position, the other woman leans down and presses a knee into the cushions, right next to Edelgard’s thigh. Half the weight of her body sinks into Edelgard’s lap; her skin, still warm from her bath, emanates heat even through the thick hotel nightwear. She takes Edelgard’s chin between thumb and forefinger and tilts it upwards.

“How about a reward for being so patient?” she whispers. Her breath smells sweet, like candy and flowers, as it blows across Edelgard’s face.

Unlike before, Edelgard’s prepared for the feeling of Hilda’s lips this time. She has spent a dismaying number of hours recalling their softness, their taste of brown sugar. Her treacherous heart, however, begins to pound in her ears anyway as soon as her mouth comes into contact with Hilda’s, and her lungs stutter into stillness. Hilda’s tongue darts out experimentally, but she retreats when Edelgard attempts to seek it out. She cannot suppress the frustrated growl that arises from deep within her chest, and Hilda chuckles into the kiss.

“Maybe you’re not so patient, after all…” 

She slides forward and brings her other knee up onto the sofa so that she’s fully straddling Edelgard. With nowhere else to put her hands, Edelgard has no choice but to lay them upon Hilda’s waist, stabilizing her and dragging her closer. Hilda’s exceptionally distracting and large chest flattens against her own. Their figures are two imperfect puzzle pieces searching for the places in which they might fit together. 

“Hey, see? Nice things happen when you behave.” 

Edelgard sighs in between kisses, her pride rankled by Hilda’s gentle but playful tone. “How much extra do I have to pay to make you shut up?” she mutters off-handedly, the next time they pause for breath.

Hilda’s lips stop moving. She draws back so abruptly that Edelgard opens her eyes to see what’s wrong. The other woman - she is startled to find - is _glaring_ at her, all pretense of friendliness gone.

“That’s it,” Hilda seethes. With a vehement shove, she pushes off of Edelgard’s lap. “I’m done with you.”

“W-What?” Edelgard blinks in astonishment, her mind struggling to catch up with this sudden turn of events. She stumbles to her feet as Hilda storms away to the other side of the room. 

“I’m _leaving_!” Hilda snatches up her purse from the counter and rummages around until she finds the money Edelgard gave her. “ _Fuck_ you!”

“Hilda wait, could you please -”

Hilda whirls and hurls the envelope at Edelgard so hard it bounces off her sternum. By sheer reflex, Edelgard manages to catch it. She juggles it once, twice between her hands before her fingers properly close around the small package of cash. 

Hilda doesn’t even bother hiding her fury. “You think you can buy anything you want, just because you’re rich,” she snarls. Edelgard had not thought it possible to look so angry in a bathrobe. “Well, you can have that back, you stuck-up bitch, because it’s not worth it!”

Edelgard gapes at her. She has no idea what she possibly could’ve said to upset Hilda so, and in her bewilderment, she can only stammer.

“Huh?” 

Hilda, unfortunately, is much more eloquent, and she isn’t finished yelling. “You’ve treated me like some object you bought since the second I walked in here! Well, newsflash, Hresvelg - if you wanted some plastic sex doll, you should’ve just gotten that instead! So _fuck_ you, and _fuck_ your money, and _fuck_ whatever weird fetish thing you’ve got going on -”

“Hilda, _please_!” Hilda’s voice has risen to such a shrill pitch that Edelgard is no longer sure the walls will contain it. She’s forced to shout over the other woman to cut her off, and in the short-lived instance Hilda inhales, offended, she manages to get a word in. “I don’t understand what you mean, but if you could just lower your voice a bit and tell me what’s wrong…”

Hilda barks with harsh, mirthless laughter. “You don’t understand? Here, let me put it in a way even a _genius_ like you won’t miss.” She steps forward and jabs an accusing finger at Edelgard. “You’re a shitty rich person who doesn’t know how to see other people like human beings. Got it?”

The silence that ensues this revelation is deafening. Edelgard’s eyes widen as she processes what Hilda is saying. The gears in her brain grind, finally allowing her to make sense of the few times, both tonight and last week, when Hilda’s mask of professional flirtation had cracked. A heavy weight drops in her heart as she tries to consider those moments from Hilda’s perspective. The constant mention of her money, her unwarranted doubt and mistrust, her feelings of entitlement to Hilda’s services - she has been acting just like most of the other members of her family, who label anyone of lower social standing as “riff-raff” and walk all over them.

In short, she has been acting like a Hresvelg. 

The revelation is unbearable. She slumps against the closest wall and puts a hand to her temple, shocked by her own behavior. 

“I-I see,” she murmurs, more to herself than Hilda. “You’re quite right.”

“What?” Hilda is visibly thrown by the admission, but she recovers immediately and crosses her arms. “I mean, hell yeah I am.”

Edelgard drops her arm and looks up. She clears her throat, straightens her posture, and faces Hilda head on. Hilda tenses and braces herself. 

“I’m sorry,” Edelgard states. She bows her head in a formal gesture of apology. “I have treated you unfairly. The fault is mine.”

Hilda’s wary disbelief is painful to behold, but not unanticipated. “You’re… saying sorry?” 

“Yes. You have every right to be angry with me.” She wavers, unsure of how to continue, but Hilda is still fuming, so she waves awkwardly at the bed. “If you would allow me a few minutes of your time, I’d like to explain myself. Not to make excuses, of course, but… to clear the air between us, if I can.”

Hilda considers the offer for so long that Edelgard is all but resigned to rejection, but she huffs eventually and marches over, planting herself on the side of the mattress. “This better be an amazing tragic backstory,” she grumbles.

Edelgard’s lips twitch. She sets the envelope of cash down on the dresser, then takes a seat beside the other woman. “Perhaps not that tragic,” she confesses. She thinks hard before she begins, trying to decide how much to reveal about herself.

“I’m sure you have heard of my family before. The Hresvelgs have always been successful. It sounds like a privilege to be born to such an empire, and maybe it is, in some ways, but… It comes with certain responsibilities. Expectations. Our family has always operated under the mantra that only the strong survive.”

Hilda does not look impressed. “So? What’s that got to do with you?”

Edelgard shrugs. “Well, when you’re raised in an environment like that, you have to adapt. You can’t show weakness. Business was the only thing I ever knew, so I learned how to be ruthless. How to always take advantage of a deal, to manipulate others before they try to manipulate me. When I founded Eagle Enterprises and broke away from my family’s influence, I vowed to be better. I wanted to treat my employees and the people around me with respect. I didn’t want to view them as mere assets anymore.” Her mouth twists in wry, self-mocking humor. “Obviously, I’m still having trouble with that.”

“Uh huh. I’ll say.”

She does not protest Hilda’s interjection. “I’m afraid that, with the money involved, I have been viewing these exchanges as a business transaction. It was easier to approach them in that manner, because then they didn’t feel so much like a vulnerability. I… do not like to be vulnerable.” She says this last part through gritted teeth; simply admitting it is more difficult that she can readily express.

A lightbulb just about materializes above Hilda’s head. She perks up, anger replaced temporarily with a spark of insight. “Ohhh, is that why you’re so weird about sex?”

Edelgard grimaces at Hilda’s surprising perceptiveness. The pink-haired girl is far less tractable and more intelligent than Edelgard would have predicted just from looking at her profile picture. She had judged a book by its cover, and she has paid the price for it many times over already.

“Yes…” Edelgard hopes that confirmation will be enough, but Hilda raises her eyebrows and stays silent. She won’t be dissuaded easily, which leaves Edelgard with an uncomfortable choice. She had never intended to disclose this secret, but Hilda may not believe her apology is sincere otherwise. 

A muscle twitches in Edelgard’s jaw. There is no other resolution.

“My upbringing made getting closer to others almost impossible. Fixated as I was on projecting an image of impregnability, I found myself unable to let my guard down around others. And ultimately, that affected certain private aspects of my life as well. It wasn’t as big of an issue to me in the past, but as the years went by, I was increasingly distracted by this problem.”

Hilda scrunches up her forehead and sits back, digesting this information. “It sounds like you need a therapist more than an escort,” she pronounces after a few seconds. 

Despite herself, Edelgard smiles, appreciative but bitter. “You may be correct. But therapists can be bribed. Besides,” she adds delicately, “I wasn’t interested in talking about my feelings. I was interested in… satisfying a particular need. And given that having an intimate relationship with another person requires both effort and time that I do not wish to expend, I figured I’d turn to, well, an expert.”

Hilda has the nerve to appear flattered. She tucks her hands under her chin and strikes a sickeningly cutesy pose. “And what exactly are you hoping to get from an _expert_ like myself?” 

Edelgard would give anything to avoid a direct answer to this specific question. She has never told anyone this, and if she thinks about it too hard, she will realize it is unconscionable that she is revealing it to Hilda of all people - Hilda, whom she has only met twice, who may be pretty and friendly and a strangely good listener, but who is also irritating and a _call girl_ , for Goddess’ sake. 

But then again, isn’t this the whole reason she resorted to such desperate measures in the first place? Isn’t this the perfect - nay, the only - opportunity for her to unburden herself, even a little? 

Edelgard toes the precipice, breathes in deep, and takes the plunge. 

“I would like to learn how to open myself up to others. Physically. And…” She coughs. “To, ah, climax. Via another person. If possible.” 

The laughter, the teasing Edelgard fully expects do not come. When she can bring herself to glance at Hilda, the other woman has an uncharacteristically meditative expression on her face. 

“That must have been hard for you to say.” 

Edelgard regards her with similar solemnity. “It was.” 

Neither of them speak for at least half a minute, long enough for Edelgard’s cheeks to stop burning. She’s relieved that Hilda’s capricious personality comes with some tact after all; perhaps this whole evening may yet be salvaged. 

“So, now you know the truth.” She spreads her arms in conciliation. “I _am_ very sorry for how I treated you. Will you forgive me?” 

Hilda considers her carefully. Edelgard can almost see the cogs turning in her head, and it makes her nervous. Her heartbeat speeds up when Hilda finally opens her mouth to speak. 

“I’ll forgive you,” Hilda says slowly, “if you let me touch your boobs.” 

Edelgard’s mind blanks. 

“Excuse me?”

Hilda nods, as if it’s already set in stone. “You heard me. Let me touch your boobs, and it’s all water under the bridge. You don’t even have to let me look.” 

Edelgard is not sure she is comprehending the words coming out of Hilda’s mouth. They sound like a coherent sentence, but they make no sense at all. 

“I… I just told you that I have difficulty being physically intimate with others…”

“Yeah, and you also said this is a business transaction, right? Well, you’ve touched _my_ boobs,” she puts her hands to her own chest and hefts the objects of discussion for emphasis, “so now I get to touch yours. Equivalent exchange, or whatever.”

Edelgard searches for the punchline, but Hilda is deadly serious. The thrill of danger runs up Edelgard’s spine at the mere contemplation of agreeing. She has tried to let other women touch her before, on the one or two doomed dates she forced herself to attend. In the end, the compulsion to protect herself, to not lay bare a single part of herself, always won out. 

But then again, she hadn’t _put her fingers_ _inside_ those women, nor listened to them gasping into her mouth and masturbated to the memory for nights afterward. Surely that will amount to _some_ difference in her psychological reactions.

She exhales shudderingly. “I… accept your terms.”

Hilda beams. “Now, that’s more like it!” She slides off the bed and stands up, padding over to the headboard and uprighting the pillows against it. When she’s finished making a suitable nest of them, she beckons for Edelgard to lie back. “Right here. And stop hunching your shoulders like that!”

Edelgard makes an effort to relax as she reclines against the pillows gingerly. After she has settled as best she can, knees drawn up as a modicum of defense, Hilda gets back onto the bed and crawls over to her. She does not seem the least bit bothered that being on her hands and knees makes the gap in the front of her bathrobe widen, and Edelgard finds, not for the first time, that she is a bit envious of how comfortable Hilda seems in her own skin. 

Edelgard is not oblivious; she knows that her own face and figure are conventionally attractive. She is secretly vain about her hair, and has no qualms about showing it off on occasion. That is quite different, however, from the unreserved manner in which Hilda bares her flesh and draws attention to herself. It’s not something Edelgard wants to imitate, necessarily, but she cannot deny that Hilda possesses an aura of freedom about her that a daughter of Hresvelg could never have. 

Hilda taps Edelgard’s knees, then rests her chin upon them. “These are in the way,” she sings, and when Edelgard reluctantly parts her legs, she slides between them with practiced ease. She pats Edelgard’s cheek and grins. “Hi. You ready?”

Edelgard does not trust herself to speak, so she just nods.

“Okay. Close your eyes. And… If I do something you don’t like, just tell me, and I’ll stop.”

Edelgard closes her eyes. A half-second later and Hilda leans in to kiss her. 

They meet with excruciating tenderness. The scent of Hilda’s perfume is heady and intoxicating. Edelgard steels herself, expecting the other woman to partake in her side of their bargain, but Hilda takes her sweet time.

Lips, tongue, teeth. The concept of kissing always vaguely perturbs Edelgard if she thinks about it too hard, but right now, she doesn’t have the luxury to think, not with Hilda sucking on her tongue. A familiar itch blooms in the depths of Edelgard’s stomach. She wonders if Hilda can feel it there, pulsing against her pelvis. 

They make out for what seems like ages. Hilda’s palms roam over the expanse of soft cotton separating their bodies, but at first she doesn’t do much more than skim them up and down the sides of Edelgard’s waist. The repetitive motion would be rather calming, if each pass didn’t set her nerves alight. Still, the trail of hot kisses that Hilda peppers upon the underside of her jaw is an effective distraction, and Edelgard doesn’t notice until too late that her hands have been steadily creeping upward. Hilda closes her fingers around Edelgard’s breasts over the fabric of the bathrobe and squeezes lightly. After all the prior stimulation, just that is enough to draw a guttural groan from Edelgard’s throat. 

She feels Hilda smile against her lips before she is drawn into another kiss. Hilda massages and rubs at her chest, and even without direct contact, it’s totally different from whenever Edelgard has explored with her own hands. She grips at Hilda’s shoulders to steady herself and Hilda, emboldened by the lack of resistance, reaches into the folds of Edelgard’s robe. Her fingers brush, almost politely, against the bare skin of Edelgard’s cleavage. 

Edelgard goes rigid. Alarm lights begin flashing in her brain, and she has to force herself to remain still as right Hilda’s palm eases into the warm hollow beneath her clavicle. Hilda must notice her reaction, because she goes slowly, just a bit at a time, until her thumb grazes against a hardened nipple. She traces around it, her nail barely even making contact, and Edelgard can’t help squirm with the ticklish sensation. 

A breath of laughter. “You are _so_ sensitive,” Hilda whispers into her mouth. “It’s _cute_.” Without giving Edelgard a chance to respond, she slips her other hand into the robe as well. In one fluid motion, she slides them around the curve of Edelgard’s chest so that she’s cupping both of her breasts. 

Heat floods Edelgard’s lower torso. Hilda kneads her fingers into Edelgard’s supple flesh as she drags her tongue across the roof of Edelgard’s mouth, and Edelgard can do nothing but gasp. No other person has ever touched her in this way; no one else has gotten even _close_. Her heart pounds against her ribcage, frantic and erratic, as if trying to break free. Can Hilda feel its flutter beneath her palms? The thought sends flames shooting through Edelgard’s veins, and she whimpers and tosses beneath Hilda’s hands. Her core throbs with the ache of desire. Everything is too hot, too desperate, too - 

Too much.

Cold reality comes back to Edelgard - only for the briefest of moments, but that’s all it takes. Instantly, fear seizes her. And before she can reconsider, she has grabbed Hilda’s wrists and jerked them away from her chest. 

Almost as if she expected it, Hilda does not fight her. The pink-haired woman simply lets herself get pushed back as Edelgard sits up, panting. The sudden cool air that hits her skin makes her shiver, and she wrenches the front of her robe closed. 

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, huh?” Hilda regards her with interest, looking totally untroubled by the turn of events. “You really do have some _major_ issues about letting go.”

“I -”

“But I can tell you were trying,” she interrupts, swiping a pensive thumb across her lower lip. She cocks an eyebrow suggestively. “It was kinda sexy.”

A pressure not unlike the onset of a migraine makes Edelgard’s temple throb. It takes her a few seconds to recognize it as embarrassment. Out of habit, she crosses her arms against the emotion, though her insides are still in too much of a tumult for her to muster a scowl. 

“You’re satisfied, then? Am I… absolved?” She cannot bring herself to use the word “forgiven,” because then it would sound too much like begging.

“Huh? Oh yeah, yeah." Hilda waves airily. "Water under the bridge, like I said."

"And you would not mind if I requested you again?" Edelgard realizes the implication only as the question leaves her mouth and hastens to add, "Not that I'm planning on it! I am only asking for clarification."

It's too late. Hilda smirks at the slip up and bats her eyelashes at Edelgard. “Not even finished yet and already thinking about next time, huh? You make me feel so special!”

Edelgard’s not sure how much pride she has left to lose. “It is only because finding another person at this point would be a hassle,” she says stiffly, “although your attitude is making me reconsider.”

Despite Edelgard’s best attempt to glower, Hilda remains cheerfully unintimidated. “I could _never_ say no to a cutie like you,” she simpers, and Edelgard is fully ready to decimate her with a witty riposte. Abruptly, however, Hilda’s expression softens. 

“We get a lot of girls like you at Club Lily, Edelgard. I promise you’re not alone in trying to figure yourself out. And if hiring me helps you out, even a bit, you can do it as many times as you like.”

Edelgard knows that, as a working woman, Hilda’s practically obliged to say those lines. A potential stream of steady income should never be turned away, unless under the direst of circumstances. 

Yet, after a long and emotionally draining day, and after so many years of longing and frustration and loneliness, Edelgard cannot prevent a flicker of hope from sneaking into her heart. She gazes at Hilda and swallows hard. 

“And what if my… problem... can never be solved? What if this is just how I will be for the rest of my life?” 

Hilda’s smile borders on beatific. “Sweetie,” she says, voice saccharine, “shut up for a moment and just watch me.”

Edelgard’s eyes widen as Hilda rises to her knees on the bed, her bathrobe riding up. The escort runs her palms down the planes and curves of her body, until her right hand meets the hem of her nightwear. She winks, never breaking eye contact with Edelgard, and her hand disappears into the gap of her thighs. The ensuing slick noise leaves no room for imagination. Edelgard shudders as a new wave of arousal washes through her.

“What are you -”

“Shhh. No talking, remember?” Hilda pulls out of herself with a slight moan and, shuffling closer, brings her fingers up to Edelgard’s lips. “Taste.”

Edelgard freezes, unsure if this is a joke. But Hilda’s expression does not waver, and after a few long seconds, Edelgard parts her lips and takes two fingers into her mouth. They press against her tongue, and she licks them clean as Hilda watches on.

Hilda hums in pleasure. “You’re smart, Edelgard. So you make things complicated when they don’t have to be.” She draws back once she’s satisfied, removing her fingers from Edelgard’s mouth with a wet pop, then, without further fanfare, throws her arms around Edelgard’s neck in an embrace.

“I have a much simpler question,” she whispers, right into Edelgard’s ear. “Do you want to taste more?”

Edelgard does. And later, when her head is buried between Hilda’s legs, when Hilda is pulling her hair and begging her to go harder, she understands what the other woman is trying to tell her. 

Staying in the present is the first step in learning to lose control.

And maybe - just maybe - Hilda can teach her how to do that, too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I have never worked so hard to get one character to touch another character's boob.
> 
> (Currently active) Now for a more serious matter: I am opening up fic commissions due to the ongoing protests in the USA. All proceeds will be donated to BLM-related organizations. I do realize that this may slow down my progress on this fic, but I think it's important to help in any way we can. If you're interested in getting a commission for a good cause, please check out this post on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/rymmkon/status/1311275290270642178)!


	3. Third Reservation

_Q: What should I do if I have to cancel?_

_A: Cancellation is free up to the day before the reserved time. As slots are limited and our cast members are very busy, however, there is a same-day cancellation fee of 50% the original cost. This is anonymously payable by credit card; failure to meet this fee will result in automatical denial of future reservations._

A girl doesn’t become one of the top earners at Club Lily without also becoming familiar with the intricacies of body language. Hilda had been a natural from the beginning - her high level of empathy winning over her inherent laziness for once - and over months of her employment, she learned how to interpret a sigh, a flex of the shoulders, a subtle tensing of muscles. In all honesty, she’s rather proud of her ability to read and respond to her clients’ needs without them ever having to speak a word. It’s almost like she’s psychic.

Of course, when she’s trying to make out with Edelgard von Hresvelg and the prissy CEO just sits there like the deadest fish in the pond, Hilda doesn’t exactly have to be a mind-reader to tell she’s distracted.

She spends a few more futile seconds probing Edelgard’s cold, unmoving lips with her tongue before finally giving up with a disgusted snort.

“Okay,” she says, pulling away. “What the hell is it this time?”

Edelgard blinks and comes back to reality. She seems surprised that Hilda’s in her lap.

“I apologize. I’m afraid my mind was elsewhere.”

“Uh, _yeah_. I could tell.” Guilt darts across Edelgard’s visage, but Hilda just pats her shoulder. “Wanna talk about it?”

Edelgard does not flinch away. On the contrary, she leans into the touch, to Hilda’s private delight and satisfaction. 

Since the boob-touching incident, Edelgard has requested a total of three further sessions in as many weeks. Hilda has never had so many repeat visits with a single client in such a short period, but Edelgard has money to burn - and massive issues to work out. She tips well (though after Hilda chewed her out she stopped paying double), and each hotel she picks is offensively extravagant. Hilda feels a bit bad about not having enough time for her other customers, but in the end, the pay-off is a no-brainer. Maximum results for minimum effort is Hilda’s mantra, and she would be stupid to turn down an opportunity to live up to it.

Besides, being with Edelgard is… interesting. Their encounters always follow the same general flow; Hilda takes a bath, Edelgard is hostile and stiff, they kiss a lot, and then by the end of the night Hilda is somehow on her back (or on all fours, or pressed up against the wall) having a _fantastic_ time. Edelgard is a quick learner, and rather demanding once she lets go of her inhibitions a little. The more familiar they grow with each other, the more willing she is to take the lead, indulging herself in Hilda’s body over and over until even Hilda - who has great stamina and would never say no to a good orgasm or three, thank you very much - has to beg for a break. 

In a nutshell, the sex is good and the money is great. Everything is perfect! And yet…

Despite all the perks, despite knowing that she couldn’t ask for a better deal, something gnaws away at Hilda’s subconscious, preventing her from fully enjoying the situation. It’s something she can’t quite put her finger on, and it bothers her more than she’s willing to admit.

That lingering annoyance flares up again when Edelgard shakes her head. 

“I’ve just been stressed with the company,” she mutters, shrugging off Hilda’s question. She leans forward to press her lips to the other woman’s clavicle. “Nothing you need to worry yourself with.”

 _Great, let’s get back to it then_ , is what Hilda’s mind tells her to say. But her traitorous mouth opens of its own accord, and different words come out.

“Try me. Maybe I can help.”

Edelgard pauses at her throat. She looks up, then sits back carefully, her brow wrinkling. 

“I appreciate your concern,” she says. “But this is work-related. It has nothing to do with what we do here.”

There it is again. Edelgard’s need to put up barriers, to hide herself. She has no problems fucking Hilda, but as soon as Hilda tries to ease into the softening parts of her armor, she seizes back up. She hasn’t gotten any closer than that night she managed to touch Edelgard’s chest - physically, or emotionally. Edelgard holds her at a perpetual arm’s length like it’s some absurd dance that only she knows the steps to. 

“You don’t think I can help?” It sounds petulant even as she says it.

Edelgard flashes a rare, wry smile. “Unless you are secretly a professor of economics with a focus on overseas trading regulations, I do not.” Her playful tone keeps the quip from biting too hard. “And I would have to break a slew of non-disclosure agreements just to begin explaining.”

Ouch. Hilda can’t argue with that. She hadn’t even considered the implications of her line of questioning. It’s a testament to her improved relationship with Edelgard that the woman doesn’t automatically accuse her of corporate espionage.

Still, the stubborn part of her won’t let it go. “You don’t have to give me the details,” she insists. “It’s just, if you need to get some things off your chest, like, about your coworkers or whatever -”

“I really don’t want to talk about it,” Edelgard interrupts. The smile slips off her face and a steely glint enters her eye. Hilda gulps, reminded suddenly of the fact that Edelgard is, at her core, a commanding and powerful businesswoman. She didn’t get where she is today by being a pushover. “Leave it be. Please.”

Hilda bobs her head up and down once, a little nervously, and Edelgard’s shoulders relax. She sighs and buries her head back in the crook of Hilda’s neck, her breath blowing ticklish across the call girl’s skin. 

“Thank you,” she murmurs, as Hilda puts her arms back around her. 

That little bit of hard-earned gratitude sends an unexpected rush of warm feelings through Hilda. They tumble back into the soft sheets together, and by the time Edelgard starts eating her out with the fervor of a starving animal, the momentary awkwardness is all but forgotten. It isn’t until a few hours later, when she lies spent and sweaty in Edelgard’s arms, that Hilda remembers it again. And when she does, she makes an unusually determined promise to herself.

 _One way or another_ , she resolves, _I’m gonna make her open up to me_. 

She falls asleep with schemes tumbling through her mind, and her dreams are filled with the particular shade of silver that makes up Edelgard’s long hair.

-

“But why, though?”

Hilda pauses mid-rant and glances up at Claude’s interjection. “What do you mean?”

Her boss crosses his arms and settles against the counter, crossing one ostentatious boot over the other. Hilda’s often teased him about dressing like an American cowboy who’s overly concerned with fashion trends, but even she has to admit that he pulls off his yellow vests and thin goatee. His green eyes gleam with faint disapproval as he appraises Hilda with them now.

“Why are you so worked up over this girl? I thought your ultimate dream in life was to snag yourself a sugar mommy and retiring for ever.”

“It still is!” Hilda jokes about quitting all the time, just to give Claude something to sweat about. She’s Club Lily’s top earner at the moment, although the both of them know that the company will manage just fine even without her. 

“Okay, so… Sounds like your client is the perfect candidate. Why change the status quo?”

This isn’t the first time they’ve discussed Edelgard. In just a few weeks, the CEO had become one of their biggest patrons. Claude’s job was managing finances, timeslots, and gig distribution (among other things), so he had been quick to take notice and demand in-depth updates. He’s a good listener and snarky as hell, and in the short year since their first meeting, Hilda has come to view him as a sort of friend. She flatters herself in assuming that he does, too; they’ve gone drinking enough times together to prove it. They have few secrets between them, and he’s always there when Hilda needs to vent about a client.

“I just feel, I dunno, bad for her or something? Imagine only being able to get off on your own! She really needs to relax, but she’s got such a huge stick up her ass. Honestly, it’s kind of cute when she’s trying to act hard, considering she’s basically a half-virgin prude.” She flushes as Claude quirks a skeptical eyebrow, realizing that she’s rambling on. “Anyway, it pisses me off that she won’t let me help her. That’s all.”

“Uh huh.” Claudes slurps his coffee obnoxiously, then continues his line of questioning. “You _do_ understand that it actually works out better if she never gets over her issues, right?” When Hilda blinks at him, he clarifies himself. “As soon as she figures herself out, it’s goodbye, money. Maybe you should concentrate harder on keeping her hooked.”

It’s a cutthroat way to think about things, and part of the reason why Claude has been so successful in running this business. Of course, Hilda’s far more attuned to the vicissitudes of a maiden’s heart than he is, which is why she shakes her head smugly.

“You’ve got it all wrong. If I solve her problems for her, she’ll be so grateful that she’ll _have_ to support me for life. I’m playing the long game here.”

Claude laughs outright at that and holds up his hands in surrender. “Well, it’s a relief to hear that. I’ve never seen you so worked up over a single client before, so I was worried.” His tone remains playful as he continues, “Because it _sounded_ like you might have a crush on her or something.”

Yikes. Is _that_ what this is about? The underlying accusation hits Hilda a little more than it should - probably because she’s so offended that Claude would even suggest it. She puffs up, ignoring the sudden unease that blossoms in her chest, and gives it to him straight.

“Absolutely not. No way. You know me. I am _way_ too lazy for a real relationship.”

It’s practically one of the first interview questions that Claude asks a potential recruit, and the only rule he’s one hundred percent adamant about. Any job-related romances are strictly forbidden. Much like therapists, the employees of Club Lily can’t let customers get too personal; it’s a liability to the company, as well as the individual cast members themselves. She didn’t even hang out with most of her coworkers, or know any of their real names. There’s just less drama that way.

A few of her coworkers have been let go over falling in love with each other or with clients, but Hilda’s never considered herself capable of the same. 

She’s simply allergic to dedication in any form. 

Claude pulls a sad face, and it’s only half-mocking. “As your boss, I’m happy to hear that. But as your friend, well…” He sighs. “Someday, Hilda, you’re gonna find a nice girl, and you’re gonna feel differently.”

Despite everything, Claude’s always been a bit of a romantic. Hilda supposes that his boyfriend, who he got engaged to a few months ago, has something to do with that. She’s heard it all before, so she just winks. 

“Thanks. I hope she’s hot.” _Though, if we’re going off pure hotness alone_ , she reflects privately to herself, _whoever she is will have a hard time beating Edelgard_.

Claude chuckles and waves his hand dismissively. “Okay, get out of here. You’ve got the rest of the week off. I know your mystery client is tipping you like crazy, and I have to give the other girls a chance.”

Hilda gives him a friendly peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Claude. You’re the best.”

She’s out the door before he can even say goodbye. She can’t _wait_ to spend all that cold, hard tip money.

-

Hilda spends the rest of the week in a flurry of shopping sprees, clubbing with friends, and trashy reality TV. She isn’t a total idiot - she sets a bit of her earnings aside in a permanent savings account every month - but the recent extra profit brought on by her visits with Edelgard have allowed for much more frivolous spending than usual. 

So, all in all, she’s in a pretty great mood when she strikes out for her next session with her new favorite customer. Given time and distance from Claude’s scrutiny, she was able to puzzle out the intricacies of her relationship with Edelgard, and the conclusion was very simple: Hilda Valentine Goneril likes money, and Edelgard von Hresvelg has a lot of it. The nicer she is to Edelgard, the more money she’ll continue to receive. It’s just math, and the equations are quite decidedly tipped in her favor, no matter what Claude might insinuate. 

By now, Hilda has long gotten over her mild self-consciousness about showing up at the fancy hotels that Edelgard prefers. The nicer outfits she’s been able to buy lately help her blend in, and the gorgeous, shimmery pink crop top she has on tonight is no exception. Excited to show it off, she practically bounces out of the elevator once it dings onto the fifteenth floor. She slams the keycard right onto the sensor at the door and bursts through without even bothering to knock.

“Heeey, babe, you’ll never guess - Huh?”

The room is quiet and conspicuously dark. Edelgard, who usually gets to their meetings much earlier than her, is nowhere to be found. Hilda’s arms drop to her sides in confusion as the door swings closed behind her, cutting off the light from the hallway. 

“What the…” _Did I get the date wrong_? Hilda begins digging through her bag for her phone to check, even though logically, she knows that she couldn’t have checked in to the hotel if that were the case. 

“She won’t be coming.” Hilda whirls at the sibilant hiss just in time to see a shadow shift in the periphery of her vision. A forbidding silhouette emerges from a corner of the room.

Hilda shrieks. Her hands close around the first thing in her purse, which turns out to be her spare makeup case, and she flings it at the figure. The plastic shell bounces uselessly off the man’s head, and he grunts more in discontent than pain. He stands between her and the exit, and when she attempts to push past him and make a run for it, he catches her wrist easily and wrestles her back. Her life flashes before her and she screams again, sure that she’s going to end up naked and dead on the bed with her throat slit wide open.

“That is quite enough.” Her attacker holds Hilda firmly in place and gropes around at the wall behind him. A second later, the lights flick on. When Hilda’s eyes adjust, she finds herself face to face with a gaunt, sallow-faced man with muddy yellow irises and a disgruntled countenance. 

“I am not going to hurt you,” he says, which is exactly what a murderer would say. Hilda opens her mouth, preparing to yell for help until her lungs give out, but before she can do so, he adds hastily, “I bear a message from the Lady Edelgard.”

At the sound of Edelgard’s name, Hilda freezes in shock. The man waits a beat or two longer to make sure that Hilda won’t try to bowl him over again, then loosens his vice-like grip. Hilda rubs her wrist and glares at him, her heart still pounding in her ears.

“Who… Who the hell are you?”

The man crosses one arm over his chest in a salute and bows. It would’ve seemed gallant, if not for the clear disgust with which he regards Hilda when he straightens up. 

“I am Hubert von Vestra. Personal attendant to Lady Edelgard von Hresvelg.”

“She has a _butler_?” Edelgard is rich, so it’s perfectly within the realm of possibility for her to have literal servants, but the stuffy looking scarecrow before Hilda doesn’t seem her style at all. He adjusts his tie and pulls fussily at his gloves before answering, glowering at her all the while through the fringes of his stringy hair. 

“That is my position, yes. Though she prefers to call me her right-hand man.” Hilda could _swear_ he preens as he says this. “I have been charged with informing you that Edelgard will be unavailable for your arrangement tonight due to her work.”

Hilda goggles at him. “She couldn’t have, I dunno, emailed me?”

Hubert puffs up his chest in obvious offense. “The Lady Edelgard is a busy woman,” he intones. “It is my privilege to handle her personal matters when she is otherwise occupied.”

“Yeah, well, I doubt she told you to scare me half to death.” Hilda’s adrenaline finally starts to subside, replaced with a certain disappointment as she begins to understand that she won’t be seeing Edelgard tonight. She had gotten all dolled up for nothing. She gestures at the door, doing her best not to pout. “Guess I’ll... just go home, then?”

The butler’s nostrils flare. He doesn’t budge from his position in front of the door; instead, after a few seconds, he reaches into his coat pockets and withdraws an envelope. Hilda’s seen its kind enough to know it must contain cash.

“In light of the inconvenience her abrupt cancellation has caused you, Edelgard instructed me to convey her regret and pay you the customary fee for your labor.” His lip curls in even deeper distaste. “She also insists that you may avail yourself of this room and its amenities for the remainder of the night.”

Hilda’s both touched and mildly exasperated by Edelgard’s generosity. The woman really does throw around her wealth like it’s nothing.

“She didn’t have to do that,” Hilda mutters as she considers whether or not she should take the money.

“No,” agrees Hubert. “She doesn’t.” His attitude, more than anything, irritates Hilda into making a decision. She reaches out for the envelope, but when she tries to tug it out of Hubert’s grasp, she encounters resistance.

“A word, if I may, Miss Goneril.” 

Great. Of _course_ Edelgard’s creepy butler knows her full name. “Yeah, what do you want?” Hilda snaps, a bit more peevishly than perhaps strictly warranted. This night is really not going the way she had planned for it to go.

Hubert’s fingers only tighten on the envelope. “Edelgard is a very powerful woman with a reputation to uphold,” he sneers. “Many people are drawn to that power and would seek to use it for their own personal gain. Which is why she has always maintained an appropriate distance from those who might be a danger to her.” 

He bends in closer, and when he speaks again, his voice drips with menace. “I don’t know how you managed to worm your way into her good graces but be assured - if you even think about taking advantage of her kindness or harming her in any way, I will not hesitate to make you suffer for it. In fact, I will take great pleasure in doing so.”

Hubert looms over her when he finishes, his eyes cold and glittering. He resembles a hitman more than he does a butler, and Hilda knows instinctively that he could very well be both. She had never before considered the risks of having Edelgard as a client, but the imposing man before her is living proof that she should be afraid.

She isn’t, though. She’s just mad.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Hubert blinks, clearly not expecting this sort of reaction, and Hilda is quick to press into his surprise. She lets go of the envelope and jabs a finger into his chest. 

“Look buddy, your _Lady_ is the one who reserved me. Not the other way around. If she wants to pay me a million bucks and rent out five-star hotels every time she wants to meet me, that’s her choice. This is just my job. I don’t ask her to do anything.”

“Miss Goneril -”

“You’ve got some fucking nerve waltzing in here in your dumb suit, trying to give me orders when it’s _your_ boss who hired me. If you’ve got a problem with me, take it up with her. And while you’re at it, you can tell her how you basically just threatened to kill me! I’m sure she’ll be thrilled!”

Hubert coughs. “No one said anything about _killing_ ,” he mumbles, but Hilda ignores him. She stares him down, her chin thrust upwards to combat the height disadvantage, refusing to waver. He ends up being the first to look away. 

“I am Edelgard’s most loyal servant. I am simply concerned for her safety, which is why I must occasionally resort to drastic measures to evaluate potential danger to her.” He pauses. “I can be… overeager. But the point remains. Do not hurt her, and you will have nothing to fear from me.” 

He holds out the cash to her, and Hilda knows it’s the closest she’ll get to a concession. She snatches the envelope up and he stands back, looking at her with a mix of chagrin and something that’s almost but not quite admiration.

“You do not intimidate easily, do you?” he muses.

“You bet your ass I don’t.”

He jerks his head up and down in a reluctant nod. “I’ll take my leave, then.” Hilda watches him go carefully, because she isn’t quite convinced he won’t spin around suddenly and slip a knife through her ribs.

He doesn’t, thankfully, but he does look over his shoulder and address her again. 

“My Lady seems… happier lately.” He doesn’t sound too happy about it, himself. “Less stressed, I should say. I confess I am unsure of the cause.”

Hilda has been insulted about a dozen times tonight and she’s pretty much had it. Before she can tear Hubert a new one right where it hurts, however, he continues.

“But whatever the reason may be, I hope that it continues to have a positive effect upon her. There are, after all, things even I cannot provide.” He bows lightly once more as Hilda gawks at him, then opens the door. “A good night, Miss Goneril.”

Hilda is left standing there alone, clutching the wad of bills in her hand. She has no idea what just happened, and she has a feeling it’s going to take awhile to wrap her head around the whiplash. 

Luckily, she has the whole night to sort it out, with a nice hot tub and moisturizing masks to help her. She scans the now-empty room and, without further ado, throws herself onto the gigantic bed. She rolls around on the expensive sheets with a relieved sigh, already looking forward to the relaxing evening ahead of her. 

Hilda pampers herself. She has a long soak, watches a random movie that’s on TV, and even orders room service. It’s basically how she would’ve spent the night at home, only ten times better. 

But as she drifts off to soothing piano music courtesy of the bedside radio, she can’t help but wonder what Edelgard is up to.

She has to admit that she’s just the tiniest bit disappointed to be falling asleep alone. 

-

The next time Hilda sees Edelgard, the CEO is in a very obvious good mood. She doesn’t even chide Hilda for being late for once, which had seemed like it was going to be a staple part of their meetings.

“The deal went through,” she tells Hilda, instead. Hilda immediately guesses that the deal in question was the source of the other woman's worries and absence in the past two weeks. She drops her purse at the entrance and slides into the seat across the table from Edelgard. The other woman slides over a glass of water, which Hilda takes gratefully. "The news will break tomorrow. I look forward to up-ending the stock market."

Edelgard's fierce and triumphant smile makes Hilda's heart skip a beat. She kinda missed looking at her face.

"Hey, thanks for the tip," she jokes, to distract herself. "Doesn't this count as insider trading?"

Edelgard only chuckles. "Don't bother, Hilda. I'm well aware you don't have a stock portfolio." 

“Maybe I’ll start one.”

“For the sake of your future, I hope you do.” 

The sound of Edelgard’s pure laughter, devoid of self-deprecation or disdain, is a rarity all of its own. Whatever problems she had encountered during her negotiations, they must’ve weighed even more heavily on her shoulders than Hilda had suspected. Hilda sets aside the mild regret that she didn’t get to play a part in the resolution - stupid to even let the thought cross her mind, what could she have done? - and bats her eyelashes at the other woman.

“Does this mean you’ll be less busy for awhile?”

“Unfortunately, my work is never over. But… I suppose I will have something of a reprieve. At least,” she adds suddenly, frowning, “I shouldn’t have to cancel on you again. I am sorry for that, by the way.”

Oh, right. In the rush of getting to see Edelgard again, Hilda had totally forgotten to needle her about that. She leans her elbow on the table between them and props her chin up on her hands. 

“I met Hubert,” she says. 

Edelgard’s frown deepens. “Yes, he told me. I instructed him to just leave the money, but he insisted on handing it to you personally. He didn’t behave inappropriately, I hope? I know he can be quite… off-putting.”

An understatement. Hilda briefly considers complaining about how he had all but said he’d murder her, but she doesn’t want to ruin Edelgard’s groove. She can be the bigger person, for once. 

“He was perfectly fine.” She smiles sweetly. “I can tell he really cares about you.” 

Edelgard relaxes and nods. “The Vestras have been in the employ of my family for a long time. I am lucky to have had him as a companion since a young age.”

Hilda is once again struck by what a different world Edelgard lives in - one that’s too difficult to imagine. 

“You didn’t have to pay me, you know. There’s a fee for last-minute cancellations, yeah, but it’s not the full amount. Feels weird, getting paid for doing nothing.” Before Edelgard, Hilda would never have imagined saying something like that and meaning it. Money sure changes a person.

Obviously, it comes as a surprise to Edelgard as well. She darts an uncharacteristically nervous glance at Hilda. 

“I hope you weren’t offended by it. My intention wasn’t to… claim you or buy you off.”

“Oh, I know! I just don’t really get it, I guess. It’s been long enough that you shouldn’t be worried about me, like, blackmailing you or spilling your secrets anymore.” 

“Of course I’m not!” Edelgard reaches out, and for a second, Hilda thinks she’s about to take her hand. The CEO hesitates, however, and her trajectory changes. She snatches up her glass of water instead and swirls around the contents awkwardly.

“I didn’t want you to think that I regard you as dispensable. That your time isn’t valuable to me.” She pauses, clears her throat. Her grip on the glass tightens enough that the tips of her fingers turn white. “You have been a great… a great help to me, Hilda. Whether you know it or not. I always look forward to our sessions.”

Her words send lightning bolts of confusion and alarm zig-zagging through Hilda’s brain. Her jaw goes slack, and it’s a good thing that Edelgard’s taken a sudden interest in the pattern of wood on the table, because she probably looks pretty dumb right now. She pinches herself on the thigh, just to confirm she’s not in some bizarre dream. When she doesn’t wake up, she’s forced to figure out what exactly she just heard.

“Me, too.” That incredibly coherent response is the only one she can come up with. It sounds so perfunctory, so inadequate. By the way the corner of Edelgard’s mouth quirks up ruefully, she doesn’t think much of it, either. Goddess damn it all, Hilda’s supposed to be _good_ at flirting. 

She tries again, this time falling back on the tried and true method of getting Edelgard to blush - skinship. She places her palm over the other woman’s hand, making her set down the glass of water. 

“We should celebrate the news,” she purrs, purposely dropping her voice to a low and husky timbre. She’s rewarded with a bloom of red in Edelgard’s cheeks. “Do something fun.”

She doesn’t miss the way Edelgard swallows and licks her lips. “And what would that be?”

Hilda grins. She pushes back the chair and stands, sashaying over to Edelgard’s side. Edelgard straightens up a little, her eyes dark and attentive, which gives Hilda full access to her lap. She plops down onto the CEO’s thighs, sitting side-saddle upon them, and places a hand upon one, stiff shoulder. The other fiddles with the collar of Edelgard’s shirt.

“Anything you want, babe,” she answers, popping open the first, the second button. “Anything you want.”

Edelgard’s throat bobs as she swallows hard. Her arm sneaks around Hilda’s waist to pull her closer, their faces now only centimeters apart. It’s too easy for Hilda to swoop in and press their mouths together, and even easier to slip her tongue through those trembling, pink lips.

Edelgard inhales sharply at the sensation, but she doesn’t pull away. She only splays her fingers more insistently against Hilda’s lower back.

“I-I haven’t paid you yet,” she manages to gasp out, when Hilda begins to lay kisses across the line of her jaw. “T-The money…”

Hilda sucks hard at a point right below her chin, and Edelgard’s protest degenerates into a whimper. 

“Later,” she whispers, and thrills at the way Edelgard shudders. She moves her head back up, and their lips meet again. “Later.”

When Edelgard nods, and her hands wander lower until they brush at the hem of Hilda’s blouse, Hilda realizes what she was too blind to see before. 

Her clients have always viewed her as a person to rely on, to vent to. She’s coached dozens of women through bad break-ups, issues with their sexuality, depression and anxiety. She had tried to do the same for Edelgard, and had been thrown off her game when she found that Edelgard didn’t want it.

But just because Edelgard doesn’t need a therapist, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t need _Hilda_. 

The surest way to help Edelgard has always been to give herself up to her, and challenge her to do the same. 

And, if nothing else, Hilda has plenty of herself to give. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter one this time (although it's still 5k so really it's more like the first two chapters were Long). I promise that the next chapter is more sexy!
> 
> Find me on Twitter @rymmkon and shout your wildest Hildagard feelings at me. I need more of them.


	4. Fourth Reservation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mind the updated tags!

_Q: Am I allowed to bring in my own add-ons?_

_A: For the protection of our cast members, personal add-ons such as toys or special outfits are strictly forbidden. If you would like to enhance your stay course experience, consider requesting our extra options listed in the services menu._

-

The term is touch starvation.

Edelgard understands the concept. Human beings are social creatures. Physical touch facilitates neurodevelopment in infants, and it continues to provide a variety of health benefits into adulthood. Growing up in the Hresvelg household, which frowned upon displays of vulnerability and dependence on others, Edelgard did not have many opportunities to experience physical affection. Her reputation as a cunning and formidable businesswoman also serves as sufficient intimidation to keep straying hands away. It’s no surprise that she suffers from this affliction, so she doesn’t feel too discouraged at how intensely she reacts to the occasional friendly pat or hug she gets from her friends.

What she doesn’t understand is how touching and being touched only leads to wanting _more_.

“Oh yes, right there,” whimpers Hilda. “Harder, don’t stop…”

Edelgard rubs her knuckles into yet another kink at the base of the other woman’s neck, and Hilda groans in contentment. She doesn’t exactly know how Hilda talked her into giving her a massage, but she suspects it has something to do with her own deplorable susceptibility to Hilda’s flirtatious smile and sultry voice. Just a few minutes of Hilda complaining about soreness and aches while rolling her shoulders suggestively, and before she knew it, Edelgard found herself straddling her hips and staring at her bare back.

She can’t say she minds, because Hilda’s skin is supple and inviting under her touch, and her hums of pleasure and repeated praise bring a flush to Edelgard’s cheeks.

It occurs to Edelgard again, as she traces the curves and planes of Hilda’s body, how much of a misnomer “skin hunger” or “touch starvation” are. A stomach can be filled; hunger can be sated, eventually. Edelgard has yet to tire of laying her palms upon Hilda. On the contrary, she has become more and more compelled to dig her fingers into that yielding flesh, to sink into her and drown in a perfect storm of pink heat and sex appeal. The constant desire to _feel_ resembles addiction, more than anything else.

“Edelgard?” Hilda peeks over her shoulder, and Edelgard realizes with a start that, in her reverie, she had stopped moving her hands. “You okay back there?”

“I’m fine.” Edelgard resumes her kneading. “I was simply wondering how long you intend to make me do this.”

Hilda grins and turns back around, laying her head upon her arms once more. “Oh come on, I’ve had a tough week! I deserve some pampering. Besides,” she adds slyly, “I told you I’d make it worth your time, right? Just a little longer, and you’ll have your reward.”

Edelgard doesn’t have an answer to that. She just gulps down the flutter of anticipation in her throat and throws herself into the extremely non-sexual act of giving someone else a massage.

“Why are you so stiff, anyway?” she asks, if only to distract herself from Hilda’s exaggerated noises of satisfaction. “I can hardly imagine you straining yourself enough to warrant these knots in your muscles.”

“That’s a lot of words just to call me lazy,” Hilda huffs, but it turns into a murmur of appreciation when Edelgard works her thumbs down the expanse of her back. “Mm, yeah…” She flexes her shoulders under the pressure of Edelgard’s hands, and her joints crack audibly.

Edelgard winces. “Perhaps you should engage in some stretching from time to time.”

“Hey, I stretch plenty,” Hilda insists. “How about _you_ try having a girl sit on your face for twenty minutes straight -”

The both of them tense. Hilda clamps her mouth shut, but it’s too late. The temperature in the room seems to drop several degrees as Edelgard pieces the puzzle together.

“An occupational hazard?” she inquires, keeping her voice casual. She forces her fingers to move again despite the shock she received. It’s unwarranted. Of course Hilda has other customers. Edelgard just never considered it before - or maybe, she hadn’t wanted to.

“Y-Yeah…” Hilda doesn’t relax, but she doesn’t twist back to look at Edelgard, either. Edelgard can only guess at the expression she’s making. “Sorry, I’m not supposed to talk about other customers when I’m on the job. Let’s just pretend I didn’t mention it.”

Given the complex mix of emotions swirling through Edelgard’s heart right now, it’s a good policy. But what’s done is done, and suddenly the only image that her brain chooses to project is one of Hilda performing a variety of sexual favors for someone else.

“Maybe I should just reserve all your time slots,” Edelgard suggests with forced playfulness. “Give you even more time off.”

When Hilda remains silent, Edelgard knows she has made a mistake. She flounders for a way to salvage the situation, but fortunately, Hilda reaches around and pats at her knee before she can continue putting her foot in her mouth.

“Let me up?” Hilda asks, and Edelgard slides off of her. Hilda sits up, raking her fingers through her long, pink hair, and shrugs the bathrobe back onto her shoulders. “Whew. There we go.”

Edelgard regards her nervously. She has a feeling that she isn’t going to like whatever Hilda has to say.

“Look, babe…” The call girl takes Edelgard’s left hand and looks at her in earnest. “You’re sweet. Really. I like you a lot. But you have to remember that this, um, arrangement… It’s just -”

“I know.” Edelgard cuts her off. The tips of her ears burn with shame. “It’s just your job. And I’m just a client.”

Something unreadable flickers over Hilda’s visage. She bites her lower lip, then nods, just once. “Exactly. And I think my boss would find it _pretty_ weird if a single person booked every one of my sessions.”

“I understand.” Edelgard regrets even bringing the topic up. For all her talk of the sanctity of contracts, she had forgotten, however briefly, the one she had entered with Hilda. And despite their relative closeness - despite the fact that Hilda knows the taste of her lips, that Hilda has held her and comforted her and touched her in a way no other woman has - in the end, she’s doing it because she has to.

Because that’s what she’s been hired to do.

“Aw, don’t make that face.” Hilda evidently spies the gloom Edelgard is trying hard to suppress, because she reaches out and pinches the CEO’s cheek. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

A mutinous defensiveness flares within Edelgard’s breast. “I’m not sad,” she insists, and Hilda beams at her.

“Good. Because I have something really fun planned for tonight, and it’d suck if you weren’t able to enjoy it.”

It’s a blatant attempt to change the subject, but Edelgard falls for it anyway, mostly because she needs the distraction. Her heart flutters as she ponders what Hilda could mean by “fun.”

“Is this the… reward you mentioned?”

“Yup!” Hilda winks at her. She slides off the side of the bed and stretches out a hand to help Edelgard up. “Wanna see?”

Edelgard allows Hilda to lead her over to the counter at the front of the room. When she first arrived, the pink-haired woman had dropped her bag off there, and she rummages through it now.

“So, technically it’s against the rules to bring this sort of thing in personally. But I figured you’re too much of a prude to even think about it, so…” She finds what she was searching for and pulls it out. “Ta-da! Well? Wanna give it a shot?”

Edelgard stares at the thing in Hilda’s hand. She’s never seen one in the flesh before, but she recognizes it immediately. Goddess knows she’s watched enough lesbian porn - furtively, in the dark, under the blankets in the privacy of her own home - to know what it is.

It’s a dildo.

Hilda wiggles the faux phallus, which is atrociously pink and attached to a complicated tangle of straps. “Fingers and tongues are great and all, but sometimes you just need a little more, you know?”

No, actually, Edelgard doesn’t. She takes a step back and says, vehement in her sudden panic, “Hilda Valentine Goneril, I am _not_ putting that inside me.”

But Hilda just giggles. “Oh, silly, it’s not for you! I mean, maybe one day, but…” She holds out the toy at Edelgard and examines it from a distance, sizing it up against her. “You’ll be the one wearing it tonight. If you want, that is.”

Edelgard pictures herself penetrating Hilda with the long shaft. The immediate bloom of desire in her loins is jarring enough to make her dizzy. “You… Why…” She wishes that Hilda didn’t render her speechless so often.

Hilda mistakes her trepidation for rejection and grimaces. “Sorry, I just thought you might like to spice things up from time to time.” She lowers her arm in visible disappointment. “We don’t have to use it.”

“No!” Edelgard says, too quickly. She does her best to ignore the way Hilda’s eyebrows shoot up. “I… I’m not opposed.”

“Uh-huh.” Hilda doesn’t do a good job of keeping the amusement out of her expression, but at least she doesn’t tease Edelgard more. “Okay, then…”

She takes a step closer, keeping their eyes locked, and Edelgard stops breathing. Hilda, ever so slowly, reaches out and presses the base of the dildo to the front of the CEO’s bathrobe, right below her waist.

“Wanna try it on?”

Edelgard closes her eyes. She nods.

“Then you’re going to have to untie this first.” Hilda indicates the sash that binds the robe together, though she doesn’t attempt to undress Edelgard herself. Edelgard opens her mouth to protest, but the other girl explains further before she can get a word in. “If it’s not tight enough, it might get uncomfortable or slip off once we… get moving. Don’t worry, you can keep your underwear and stuff on. Pretend you’re wearing a bikini!”

 _I don’t swim_ , Edelgard almost answers, but she stops herself. The whole purpose of using Club Lily’s services in the first place was to push her own boundaries. And Hilda has a point; plenty of people do strut about beaches and pools wearing nothing but what is essentially glorified lingerie.

Her mind leaps again, unbidden, to the thought of Hilda touching other women, of her doing perhaps the same with who knows how many other partners.

Edelgard doesn’t let herself overthink it. In one, fluid motion, she undoes the bathrobe and allows it to flap open, just a little. She holds herself still as Hilda’s gaze travels down, then back up. There’s unmistakable heat in her dark pupils as she smiles in approval.

“Very nice. I knew you could do it!” She sinks to her knees as Edelgard watches. “Let me help you put it on.”

With deft fingers, Hilda threads the straps around Edelgard’s trembling thighs. Her breath blows hot against Edelgard’s bare skin as she cinches the harness to the blonde’s legs and loops it over her hips. She never parts the bathrobe more than she has to, which Edelgard appreciates more than she can properly express. Hilda’s special brand of tact - her thoughtfulness somehow perfectly meshing with her otherwise crude and brash personality - is both a surprise and a comfort. She always seems to know just how far she can take things.

The air whooshes out of Edelgard’s chest when the other woman grabs the dildo and gently tweaks it back and forth to check the fit. It’s an exceedingly erotic image.

Hilda grins up at her, as if she knows exactly what Edelgard is thinking. “How’s that? Too tight?”

“No… it’s fine.”

“Good.”

The call girl stands up, to Edelgard’s quiet dismay. She tucks the memory of Hilda kneeling below her into a corner of her brain for private recollection at a later time and clears her throat.

“So, how do we, um, begin?” She recalls the lead-up to several videos regarding the usage of strap-ons and promptly realizes that they will be of no help at all. Thankfully, Hilda already seems to have a plan.

“Why don’t you just sit on the bed for now? And geez, babe, loosen up. It’s just me, remember?”

Just Hilda. _Is that supposed to be reassuring_? Edelgard’s lips twitch in dry humor. Conscious of the foreign weight flopping around below with every step, she makes her way over to the bed and sits down. Hilda turns around to grab something else from her purse, and Edelgard takes the opportunity to discreetly get acquainted with her new appendage.

The silicone is yielding and rubbery beneath her probing fingers. By her rough estimation, it’s about 12 centimeters long, which (to her admittedly limited knowledge) is the average size of the real thing. Edelgard _had_ considered getting one of her own before, during one of her more desperate periods in life, but the thought of Hubert stumbling upon it during his routine security checks that he insists on doing made her blanch.

The upright, untouchable public image she maintains is hard to shed, even when she is alone.

The crinkle of plastic makes her glance up. Hilda holds a tiny, flat packet between her fingers and is biting her lower lip as she stares at Edelgard. When their eyes meet, she jumps, as if caught in the act of doing something shameful.

“Is there something wrong?”

“Um, nope! Not at all!”

Hilda’s long, pink hair swishes about as she shakes her head, an automatic grin appearing. After so much time with her, Edelgard can easily tell when she flips on her work persona. Due to her own personal shortcomings, she lets herself be fooled by it anyway.

Hilda sashays back towards her. Edelgard catches flashes of her waist and breasts between the rippling of her robe. Despite a deceptively subtle string of hard muscles beneath her soft skin, Hilda has always insisted that she’s a delicate flower. But the woman who tilts Edelgard’s chin up now with just the very tip of her finger seems more like a predator ready to strike.

“So?” She presses one knee into the side of the bed, straddling Edelgard’s lap. There is no underwear beneath her outer garb, nothing to hide the tellingly slick heat she slides against the CEO’s bare thigh. She leans in, close enough to kiss, her breath ghosting against Edelgard’s cheeks. “You ready for this?”

It takes all the willpower in the world for Edelgard not to flinch. “Yes,” she whispers, and Hilda closes the gap.

The kiss is just long enough for Edelgard lips to tingle with unresolved tension when Hilda pulls back. The call girl does not break eye contact with her client as she makes a tiny tear in the package in her hand. She squeezes its contents out into one palm, then tosses it carelessly to the floor.

“Lube,” she explains, though Edelgard already had an inkling about what the clear liquid was. “Always makes things more fun.”

She reaches lower and grabs onto the rigid shaft between them. Slowly, deliberately, she slides her hand down and around it, covering it with the slippery substance. Edelgard’s breath hitches in her throat when the movement presses the base of the toy deeper into the space between her legs, just shy of where she is burning. For the first time ever in her life, she wonders what it must feel like to have a penis.

Hilda gives the head of the rod one more twist before letting go. The pink material glints with the lubricant.

“All done,” she announces. There’s a smug note in her tone, which Edelgard would normally resent, if she weren’t so preoccupied with trying not to simply fall to pieces. Hilda gestures for her to scoot back. “Lie down for me?”

Edelgard inches away from the foot of the bed, and Hilda follows on her hands and knees. The swell of her generous cleavage is painfully visible as she crawls towards Edelgard. In the dim light of the bedside lamp, the pink hair cascading over her shoulders shimmers.

All too soon, Edelgard’s head bumps up against the pillows behind her. Her retreat halted, she reclines gingerly, her neck propped up by the cushions so that she has a clear view of what Hilda is doing. The call girl skims her palm up the side of Edelgard’s calf, watching her carefully all the while.

She makes it all the way to a little bit beyond Edelgard’s thigh before Edelgard tenses. It’s a game of chicken, one she plays with herself more than with Hilda, seeing how far she can let the other woman go before her body screams of danger. No matter how much she wishes otherwise, it always does.

Even so, however, there are changes. Where once she might’ve kicked out instinctively, she now only nudges Hilda’s arm aside. Hilda acknowledges the signal with a hum and removes the offending hand. She shifts forward, taking care not to disturb the erect phallus, then settles down again - this time, right upon Edelgard’s hips. She splays her fingers against the ridges of Edelgard’s ribs, the downy tuft between her legs just barely tickling the skin of Edelgard’s waist.

“Hi,” Hilda murmurs, as if they aren’t almost completely naked and about to commit an act of extraordinary indecency.

“...Hello.” Edelgard hates the way her voice cracks.

Hilda smirks, but she doesn’t comment. Instead, she shrugs off the bathrobe, which had already been slipping off her shoulders, and casts it aside. She reaches behind with one hand, taking hold of the strap-on and steadying it.

“Try not to move, okay? Trust me, it’s gonna be intense.”

Edelgard has doubts - after all, she’s not the one being penetrated - but they fly out of her mind when Hilda raises her hips once more. Her line of sight shoots to the flex of the other woman’s powerful thighs as she lines herself up directly over the shaft. Edelgard can only watch as Hilda slowly eases downward, the air frozen in her useless lungs.

The toy, slick with lube, meets very little resistance as it slides into Hilda. She lets out a light, girlish sigh as the head slips past her entrance, one fist clenching against the surface of Edelgard’s stomach. As the call girl lowers the full weight of her body onto the dildo, the other end of it digs roughly against where Edelgard is most sensitive. Caught by surprise, a strangled gasp leaves her throat.

Hilda chuckles, a little windedly. “What’d I tell you?” she teases, but Edelgard is in no state to answer.

No, she isn’t being penetrated. Yes, she still is the one fucking Hilda, not the other way around. But it sure doesn’t _feel_ that way. She realizes belatedly that this is one of the few times Hilda is actually positioned on top of her, instead of under. She has to look up in order to take in the full picture of her partner - her heaving chest, her flushed cheeks and full lips, the fine lines of her pelvis. Above all hangs the distinctly new sensation of being _mounted_.

And Hilda is the one holding the reins. As Edelgard wavers, wondering if she should ask to adjust the harness so that it’s not directly pushing against her clit, the call girl grinds down onto the toy to get her attention. Edelgard grits her teeth and growls against the motion.

“Well?” she purrs. “Don’t make me do all the work.” She takes Edelgard’s hands, prying them loose from the death grip she has on the bed sheets, and brings them back and around until they’re cupped firmly against the ample cheeks of her butt.

Edelgard narrows her eyes as she digs her fingers into the yielding flesh. It doesn’t take much imagination to guess what Hilda wants her to do. The only question is whether or not Edelgard is too much of a coward to reciprocate.

She takes the plunge and jerks her hips upwards, just once. Hilda inhales sharply, grabbing for the straps of the harness for a makeshift handhold.

“ _Yesss_ ,” she hisses, and rolls her lower torso back against Edelgard. “Just like that.”

The pressure between her legs sends confusing tingles up Edelgard’s spine, but just as insistent and three times as loud is Hilda writhing away on top of her. She bounces in Edelgard’s lap with impatience, and the CEO has little choice but to oblige. Slowly at first, then faster as she settles into a steady rhythm, she starts to thrust. The pink length of the silicone toy disappears and reappears as she plunges it into Hilda, who whines delightedly.

“F-Fuck, Edelgard…”

Edelgard isn’t a total idiot; she knows that Hilda often plays up her reactions to get a rise out of her. For once, though, the woman doesn’t seem like she’s exaggerating at all. Her lips part in ecstasy, and she meets every one of Edelgard’s movements with even more enthusiasm than usual. The _slap-slap-slap_ of their coupling fills the room, accompanied by Hilda’s unrestrained cries.

The heat in Edelgard’s loins begins to build, spurred on by the sound of Hilda’s moans. The bottom of the toy feels nothing like the finesse of her own fingers, but the way it rubs against her clit is tantalizing all the same. She squeezes her eyes shut and sees white sparks every time she drives the strap-on home.

_Can I… Can I really get there?_

She doesn’t dare to hope. She just concentrates on trying to make Hilda feel good, on drawing more of those frenzied gasps from her lips. An undercurrent of desperation swirls at the edge of her consciousness. She is _so close_ to that release she has been craving for so long, it is nearly within her grasp, and the notion that it may slip between her fingers at any moment fills her with quiet dread. But Hilda croons breathless praise above her, her hot palms scorching against Edelgard’s stomach, grounding her in the visceral. Each thrust is filled with so much potential, such promise, and she wants so _badly_ to believe she will finally be pushed over the edge, that this is really it -

It was almost enough. It really was.

Edelgard, in the heat of the moment, adjusts the angle of her hips a fraction too far. The base of the dildo catches her at a particularly vulnerable point, and the jagged bolt of pleasure that tears through her forces a whimper up her throat.

The thin, frail sound of her own voice shocks her. Disconnected images flash across her mind unbidden - encroaching walls, the sting of her uncle’s rugged hand, suffocating darkness. Some animal part of her shrivels, curls in upon itself, and emits a silent shriek.

The next few seconds are a blur. Hilda yelps in pain and bewilderment as Edelgard twists and unseats her. She falls to the side, flailing as she hits the duvet, but Edelgard doesn’t even notice. She scrabbles away in blind panic, pulling at the harness that binds the toy to her front. She doesn’t bother to figure out how to unfasten it, just tugs and kicks her legs until she can wriggle free and fling it away. Why didn’t she notice how much the straps resembled restraints before? Her skin crawls, and she hugs herself tightly, imagining insects below the surface.

“Edelgard?”

Edelgard starts at the sound of her name. She whips her head up, panting, wide-eyed. When Hilda reaches out a tentative hand, she clamps her fingers around the other woman’s wrist in a vice-grip to arrest her progress.

“What the - _Edelgard!_ Snap out of it!”

This time, her shrill demand cuts through the fog in Edelgard’s brain. Edelgard blinks, and only then does she realize that her lips have twisted into an open-mouthed snarl. She shuts her jaw with a snap and lets go of the other woman.

“D-Don’t touch me.” Her teeth chatter, rendering her words almost unintelligible, but Hilda seems to understand. She holds up her hands in a gesture of surrender, though her brow furrows in consternation.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

Edelgard doesn’t answer. She can’t. Her pulse races, adrenaline ringing in her ears. She just watches Hilda warily over the makeshift ramparts that are her knees, her back pushed against the headboard of the bed.

After a long pause, Hilda sighs. Edelgard tenses when she slides off the mattress and gets to her feet, but she just bends down to pick up her discarded bathrobe. She passes her arms through the sleeves, re-ties the sash, then turns around to face her client again.

“Do you want me to go?” There is no note of accusation in her gentle tone, just concern, and it’s such a simple, straightforward question that Edelgard latches onto it right away. She uses it to center herself, to come back down to reality.

One by one, she unclenches the muscles in her body. “No,” she manages to croak, and Hilda relaxes visibly. The pink-haired woman sits back down on the bed, maintaining a respectable distance.

“Okay! Then do you wanna… talk? I guess?” She winces as she crosses her legs. “No offense, but that hurt. Like, a lot.”

“I’m sorry.”

Hilda shrugs. “Believe it or not, I’ve had worse.” She stares at Edelgard expectantly.

Edelgard takes a long moment to gather her thoughts. She doesn’t know exactly how to explain her actions, or the way her stomach is still roiling.

“I… I remembered something. That’s all.”

She has never revealed the true extent of her family’s abuse to anyone, although Hubert, having been part of her childhood, is aware of most of it. But the memory itches at her freshly now, and she finds herself compelled to recount it.

“My uncle, as head of the empire at the time, had a heavy influence on my upbringing. And one of the lessons he was especially keen on was the art of suppressing emotion. I was not always good at this as a child, so he resorted to some _creative_ ways to teach me. He once locked me in a closet, knowing I was afraid of the dark, and instructed me not to make any noise.” Her fists tightens until her knuckles turn white. “I failed, of course. And when he heard me, well… Let’s say I would’ve preferred another hour in the closet.” The bruises had lasted for weeks.

She refuses to meet Hilda’s eyes; she does not wish to see the pity that is surely reflected in those pretty irises. The two of them sit there, neither of them speaking, the only sound in the room the steady _drip-drip_ of the faucet in the adjacent bathroom.

As always, Hilda is the one to break the silence.

“I… don’t really know what to say to that,” she confesses. In spite of herself, Edelgard darts a quick glance up to see the other woman worrying at her bottom lip.

“There is not much to say. It happened many, many years ago.”

Hilda’s expression remains unsure. Her fingers play with the edge of the coverlet, fluttering with indecision, then abruptly come to a halt.

“Can I give you a hug?” she blurts. When Edelgard’s eyebrows raise, she blushes with uncharacteristic chagrin. “I know that, like, doesn’t exactly help, but...” She trails off.

It’s such a Hilda thing to suggest that Edelgard can’t help but huff in soft, shaky amusement. After the briefest hesitation, she inclines her chin, and Hilda’s shoulders slacken. The call girl sidles closer on her knees, then spreads her arms invitingly.

Edelgard surrenders herself to her embrace in inches. She lays her head at the warm hollow of Hilda’s neck, places one lost and fumbling hand upon her waist. Hilda loops an arm below the curve of her back to support her, then eases the both of them down. They recline against the plush pillows, curving to fit imperfectly against each other.

Until then, Edelgard did not even realize she was cold. Hilda’s warmth seems to thaw her limbs, seeping into her skin and spreading to every corner of her body. She makes no protest when the other woman begins to stroke her hair.

“I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard,” Hilda murmurs, running her fingers through the silvery strands. “I didn’t realize…”

Edelgard shakes her head to stop her mid-apology. “This is a personal issue, Hilda. You did nothing wrong.”

By Hilda’s silence, she doesn’t seem quite convinced, but she doesn’t press the subject. She just holds Edelgard more tightly - which is all Edelgard really wants right now, anyway. She closes her eyes and just listens to the other woman breathe. Eventually, the regular rise and fall of Hilda’s chest and the distant thud of her heartbeat lull the blonde back into a state of relative calm.

She is once again indebted to Hilda’s surprisingly deep well of patience, something Edelgard is getting is a bit too used to for her liking. Despite her frivolity, her complete lack of respect, her laziness, Hilda has become a source of comfort and safety.

Edelgard pretends that it is out of some sense of obligation, of wanting to express her gratitude, that she puts her hand on Hilda’s thigh.

Hilda immediately stills and looks down at her. “Um… Yes?”

Edelgard clears her throat.

“I didn’t hate it,” she says quietly. “Despite my reaction, I mean. It was an… interesting experience. I just want you to know that.”

“Oh, yeah?” Hilda sounds taken aback for a moment, but when she speaks again, she is much more cheerful. “Great, because it was _super_ hot for me. I mean, until you… you know. A-Anyway, we can try again some other time, if you want.”

Edelgard smiles against her clavicle. “Perhaps another time,” she agrees, more pleased than she should be that Hilda now views their encounters as a regular occurrence. She squeezes Hilda’s thigh, enjoying the simple luxury of being able to touch her without flinching.

Hilda coughs and shuffles her legs. “Just to be clear, you didn’t mean tonight, right?”

Edelgard entertains the idea - not of using the toy again, of course, but there are other options - for a brief second, but when she looks up and regards the sleepiness in Hilda’s countenance, she shakes her head.

“No. But,” she says, a little sheepishly, “I would enjoy it if we talked some more, if you are not too tired.”

Hilda blinks, and her mouth splits into a wide grin.

“Wow.” When Edelgard tilts her chin in confusion, she giggles and waves her off. “Nothing, nothing. It’s just that when we first met, you kept telling me to shut up. Things sure have changed.”

Edelgard chuckles as well. “To be fair, you were very vexing.” She shifts her head to the side so that she can lay it upon the pillows properly, though she keeps one hand on Hilda’s hip. Hilda lies down as well, and then the two of them are facing each other, so close they can feel the air from each breath the other takes.

“So?” asks Hilda. She smells of fruit-scented shampoo. “What do you wanna talk about?”

Edelgard does not have to ponder for long. “I told you a bit about my childhood. Why don’t you tell me about yours?” She could do with hearing about an upbringing less depressing than her own.

Hilda is already nodding, perhaps guessing at the reason behind her request. “It’s nothing special,” she begins. “I’ve got a big brother, a mom, and a dad…”

Edelgard closes her eyes and loses herself in the cadence of the other woman’s pretty voice. She learns about Hilda’s relatives, the first time she dyed her hair, her family dog, and when she finally drifts off, the last image dancing in her mind is of a young girl sitting upon a bed, idly painting her nails pink.

-

When Edelgard wakes in the middle of the night, the lamp on the nightstand is still on. Hilda snores lightly beside her, one arm thrust under her pillow. Loath to leave the warm hollow they have created beneath the sheets, Edelgard reaches over the call girl so that she can turn off the lights. To her chagrin, however, Hilda stirs at the disturbance.

“Hunh?” she grunts, and Edelgard pats her shoulder soothingly.

“It’s fine. Keep sleeping.”

Hilda relaxes, and her breathing evens with no further prompting. Edelgard lies back down, but she can’t bring herself to go back to sleep right away. In the darkness, she examines Hilda’s slumbering face, thinking back upon the events of their evening.

A thought floats to the surface, and she speaks before she can reconsider.

“Hilda?”

Hilda sighs sleepily. “Hmmm?”

Do you do the same things with your… your other clients?”

It’s unfair to ask Hilda when she’s half-asleep and vulnerable, and Edelgard feels guilty right away. She almost tries to take it back, but it’s too late. The call girl cracks her eyelids open to look at Edelgard.

“Sometimes,” she mumbles, honest in her drowsiness. She yawns, then adds, “But there’s other stuff, too.”

“Other stuff?”

“Yeah. Like dates.” The corners of her mouth stretch upward in a dreamy smile. “You should take me on one, sometime.”

Edelgard remembers looking at the various options on Club Lily’s website. Back then, she had wondered why anyone would possibly pay hundreds of dollars to go on what they knew was a fake date.

Now, she thinks she is starting to understand.

She turns away from Hilda, who has drifted off once more, and stares up at the ceiling. Though she closes her eyes, the gears in her head continue to spin.

It is a long time before she is able to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoaa, we're halfway there. Find me at @rymmkon on Twitter and tell me about how Hildagard makes you believe in love again.


	5. Fifth Reservation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey! Guess what! As of this chapter, I have added cover art to this story! If you're a returning reader and you're interested, please check out the beginning of the work to see it. You won't regret it!

_Q: What can I do on a date course?_

_A: On a date course, you can enjoy a perfect outing with one of our cast members. This course is great for companionship, practice dating, or for mixing with one of our other courses. Popular destinations are aquariums, amusement parks, or shopping malls; however, you can take our girls to any public space as long as your date plan is approved prior to reservation. You can reserve up to 8 hours with one cast member, and up to 12 extra hours if you'd like to extend your date with a play or stay course. For further details, please see our date course page._

-

To be totally fair, Hilda had been ambushed.

It was quite devious on Edelgard’s part, really, catching her when she was only half-awake. No matter that it had probably been unintentional. Hilda is damn within her rights to blame Edelgard if she wants to, at least inside her own head - the alternative would be admitting that she had kind of majorly fucked up.

 _Nope! You didn’t do anything wrong_ , she scolds herself again. _This was your exact plan all along!_ Enticing some rich, hot sugar mommy into taking her on luxury trips has been Hilda’s top fantasy since she started this job. By all accounts, she should be rejoicing her good fortune, enjoying the view of the greenery zipping by around her.

Instead, she casts another wary, side-long glance at the woman sitting in the seat beside her, and once more a sense of unease flutters up within her chest.

Edelgard notices her staring and raises an eyebrow.

“Is something the matter, Hilda?”

It’s strange to see her like this, the fine, blonde strands of her hair all lit up by the bright rays of the sun. Hilda realizes with a start that this is the first time she’s seen Edelgard in the daytime - or outside of a hotel room, for that matter. She cuts an elegant figure in her tan coat, pinstripe top, and black slacks, a discreet silver chain dangling from her neck.

Hilda averts her eyes. “Nope!” She forces a bubbly laugh from her lips. “Just thinking about how pretty you are today.”

It’s a tired line, straight out of Hilda’s playbook for professional dating, but Edelgard blushes anyway. For a seemingly unflappable and ruthless CEO, she flusters easily.

She is also, however, quick to recover. “I suppose you say that to all the girls,” she says, affecting a dry tone, but the corners of her mouth twitch, giving away her good humor.

“Just the pretty ones.” Hilda grins back at her, then takes a sip from her water to distract herself from her nerves. “And the ones taking me on super nice and _super_ expensive dates. Are you really sure this is okay?”

When Hilda had gotten the email notification for the reservation, she had expected extravagance, but the schedule that was attached - Club Lily’s policies dictated that customers explain the general outline of their dates beforehand for safety purposes - was even more lavish than she expected. It wasn’t often that she got to go to a whole other prefecture for work.

Edelgard blinks at her, betraying just a hint of anxiety. “Too much?” she asks, but Hilda waves a reassuring hand.

“No, I just figured you were too busy with your company for weekday outings. Don’t want to keep you from work, or whatever.”

“Ah.” Edelgard shrugs. “We’re entering a slower season. They can manage without me for a day. And I wanted to avoid the crowds.”

Hilda tries not to read too much into the implications of a workaholic like Edelgard taking vacation time. She turns her head to survey the mostly empty train and nods. There’s just one other couple on the observation deck, and the man and woman are sitting a respectful distance away and whispering sweet nothings to each other.

“It’s perfect.” Hilda does her best to sound sincere, and by Edelgard’s soft smile, it looks like she succeeds.

The blonde reaches out with shy fingers and touches the back of Hilda’s hand lightly. After a moment, Hilda obliges, turning it palm-upwards upon the armrest so that they can intertwine their fingers. She brushes a thumb over Edelgard’s soft skin, her heart skipping a beat when the other woman shivers.

Flirting, hand-holding. She’s playing the role of girlfriend flawlessly, just as her job requires and just like she always does. In Edelgard terms, she’s just fulfilling her side of the contract.

But if that’s the case, then _why_ does she feel so guilty?

-

“Ohmigosh, sooo pretty!”

Turns out, guilt doesn’t last long when you’re on an all-expenses-paid trip to a super scenic and fun _onsen_ town. Hilda can feel her misgivings dissipating into the brisk, late autumn chill as she sets her boots upon the asphalt. She breathes in deep, taking in the sights of the gift shops, the neatly paved roads, the stunning mountain backdrop. At the risk of sounding totally cliche, even the air tasted clean.

“You’ve never come here before?” Edelgard is obviously trying to play it cool, but there’s no disguising the pleased note in her voice.

“Nah, but I always wanted to.” Hilda beams at her. She doesn’t have to fake her enthusiasm in the slightest. “You gonna show me around to all the good spots?”

Edelgard’s blush is visible even beneath the shiny sunglasses she’s wearing to conceal her identity. Privately, Hilda thinks they’re unnecessary - there aren’t so many tourists around, and the woman’s bearing and long hair are distinctive enough even without her violet eyes on display - but it gives Edelgard some peace of mind, at least, and that’s all that matters.

Plus, Hilda is discovering her latent fondness for hot women in eyewear.

“That is my intention,” Edelgard answers, and pulls out her phone with a flourish. The screen displays a meticulous timetable complete with short descriptions of the planned activities for the day. “We’ll be able to enjoy most of what Hakone has to offer if we follow this.”

Hilda barely manages to clamp down on the startled giggle that bubbles up to her lips. Edelgard is in such deadly earnest that she doesn’t have the heart to tease her for being such a nerd.

She hides her smirk as best she can and loops her arm through Edelgard’s, pulling her along. “We’d better get started, then!”

Edelgard stumbles after her, spluttering. “Not that way, we should be going -”

But Hilda ignores her. She’s spotted a beautiful, traditionally-styled pedestrian bridge across the street, and she fully intends to take some cute selfies before doing anything else.

-

The weather is perfect. The _day_ is perfect. The two wander the hills and alleys of the town, sampling various street foods and sightseeing to their hearts’ content. Edelgard’s schedule turns out to be as well-constructed as expected, and Hilda has no trouble more or less sticking to it - though she isn’t above deviating slightly whenever something else catches her eye, if only to provoke some of Edelgard’s adorable grumbling.

It’s the most genuine fun Hilda’s had in awhile. Sure, she’s been on plenty of nice dates - when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, Hakone and Disneyland are basically the same - but this is different. Maybe it’s just being in a totally new place, or maybe it’s that there’s not a cloud in the sky, but everything seems brighter than usual to Hilda. Like she’s had an Instagram filter applied to her vision.

Edelgard is clearly enjoying herself as well. Hilda likes the childish, innocent slant to her smile as they gaze at elaborate handcrafts through shop windows and nibble at eggs boiled black by the sulfur in the spring water. It’s a whole other side of her patron that she rarely ever gets to see, and she savors every second of it. She almost kind of wishes that they could never head back, that Edelgard could just remain here forever, away from all the stress and worries that had turned her into such a traumatized human being.

That last thought, sprung unbidden from some back corner of her mind, catches Hilda by surprise, and her buoyant mood darkens for a moment. Edelgard, attentive as always, sees the change and shoots her a look of concern over the tinted lenses of her shades.

“Are you tired? I know it has been a long day.”

Hilda is quick to shake her head. She pats Edelgard above the elbow and beams. “I’m having way too much fun to be tired.” She means it, too. Normally, she hates dates where she has to walk around a lot, but getting to explore a gorgeous place like this is worth the blisters where her boots chafe against her feet. “ You really know how to treat a girl, Edie. We should’ve done this way earlier.”

“I would have,” Edelgard says seriously, “but I had to drug Hubert so that I could slip by him, first.”

Hilda blinks three times before she realizes that Edelgard - yes, Edelgard von Hresvelg - is actually making a _joke_. Edelgard chuckles at her bemused expression, and Hilda throws back her head to laugh.

“He is a valuable assistant and my dearest friend,” Edelgard clarifies, when their merriment has subsided a bit. “I would not be where I am today without him. But I must confess he isn’t totally familiar with the concept of _leisure time_.”

“That’s the impression I got.” Hilda trails her fingers through the steaming water of the natural pool they are soaking their feet in. “Honestly, I didn’t think you were, either.”

“Ah, well.” Edelgard shrugs and turns her gaze pensively upon the ripples. Reflected sunlight traces over the features of her face in transient lines. “I’ve been learning, of late.”

It shouldn’t surprise Hilda the way it does. She’s been in the business for a long time, and she’s used to being the sexual and spiritual awakening of a client’s life. Hilda Valentine Goneril eats you out and rocks your world, and in return, you thank her for it and shower her with gifts and money. Common courtesy, nothing more.

But when Hilda moves to gush over Edelgard like she would any normal customer, laying the compliments on thick and buttering her up so that the cash keeps on flowing, the words lodge in her throat. Her insides squeeze and loosen all at once. That weird, squeamish feeling from earlier in the day is back in full force.

Well, she can’t just keep gaping at Edelgard like a stunned goldfish. Hilda leans to the left and buries her face in the other woman’s shoulder to hide her expression. Her coat smells of expensive perfume, tastefully faint. Edelgard doesn’t stiffen, like she might’ve before. She presses back into Hilda’s warmth, tucking her chin over the pink crown of her head. They sit there in mutual silence, simply basking in the comforting atmosphere of the quiet spring and each other’s presence.

Eventually, Edelgard nudges her with a gentle elbow.

“Hey. Don’t fall asleep on me now. We’ve still got a few stops on our list.”

Hilda sits up with extreme reluctance. When she looks up at Edelgard, the businesswoman’s lips are curled into an indulgent smile. Hilda is struck by an insane urge out of nowhere to take her hand, to kiss her, to pull those dark sunglasses off her face so she can drown in those beautiful eyes.

 _I must be mega horny_ , she decides. That’s the only explanation that suits the smoldering sensation deep within the pit of her stomach. An idea lazily floats to the surface of her brain. She’s been having fun going at Edelgard’s pace so far, but it’s high time to add some spice to the mix.

“I think I’m kinda tired, actually.” She fakes a yawn and is pleased when Edelgard’s forehead crinkles in consternation. “Maybe we should head back?”

She makes her move when Edelgard opens her mouth to protest. “But the park -”

Under the water, Hilda stretches out her leg. Her aim strikes true, and Edelgard chokes as Hilda trails her toes suggestively up the back of her bare calf. Hilda raises one eyebrow and waits.

Edelgard takes a deep and shaky breath. “O-On second thought… Perhaps I am tired as well. And the hotel dinner is quite nice - it would be a shame if we missed it.”

Hilda practically purrs. “Sounds good to me.”

If she has it her way, they’re going to be eating a lot more than dinner.

-

How does the saying go? _The best laid plans of mice and gays are often ruined by high-end luxury hotels_.

Or something. Hilda doesn’t remember exactly, and right now, she can’t bring herself to care. She’s too busy soaking in the nicest bath she’s ever had in her life.

She’d totally been meaning to jump Edelgard’s bones as soon as they were alone together. She’d spent the whole ride to the hotel gearing up to it, getting so handsy in the back of the taxi that at one point, Edelgard actually had to grab her wrists and sit on them to make her stop.

Rookie mistake. That gave Hilda the perfect opportunity to grope her ass.

The shenanigans ended, though, as soon as the hotel came into view. The road there had gotten steadily more secluded as they approached their destination, and when they rounded one last bamboo grove, they came upon a massive ryokan that looked like it had been lifted directly out of some fairytale picture book.

Edelgard had smirked at her dumbfounded expression. She always did like showing off, and Hilda couldn’t blame her for it. If she had that kind of money, she’d be doing the same.

The inside had been even more impressive. Waiters bowed low and approached them with complementary refreshments. The wooden floors were polished to an almost obscene shine. Their “room” was a rustic, spacious two-story affair that overlooked the tranquil pond the hotel was situated on and had its own, rooftop open-air bath for two. Even Edelgard, usually cool and nonchalant about the places she picked for them, admitted that it was far better than she had imagined.

The sheer extravagance of it all was enough to put any thoughts of sex out of Hilda’s mind for a good few hours. She raced up and down the stairs of their quarters, sat on every sofa, and took about a million pictures of herself lounging about in the fashionable indoor kimono they were provided. Edelgard only laughed at her giddy excitement and patiently indulged her antics.

Now, as Hilda leans over the wooden slats of the bath and watches the steam rise into the air, she has more time to reflect upon the evening. Between the lavish, personally catered dinner spread and endless amenities, this is probably the closest she’s ever going to get to being a princess.

When she met Edelgard that first time, she’d daydreamed about similar treatment, but she never thought it would actually happen. It did, though, and now she’s sipping wine (totally against Club Lily’s rules, but who’s going to tell on her?) and living it up in probably the most expensive establishment this side of Japan. The Hilda from three months ago would already be planning the wedding if she knew what awaited her.

If only it were that simple.

The sound of footsteps brings Hilda back down to Earth. She looks over her shoulder just in time to see Edelgard traipsing up the stairs, a towel wrapped around her torso. Her pale hair is pinned up in an artful, loose bun that makes her look so pretty, it’s almost unfair.

Hilda raises her hand in cheerful greeting. “Took you long enough!” She notes the way Edelgard’s line of sight shoots straight to her cleavage with more than a little smugness.

“The shower was nice,” Edelgard replies shortly. She pads over to the bath and dips a toe in, testing the water.

Hilda gestures at the towel. “You’re not getting in with that on, are you?”

Edelgard sighs. “Of course not.” She pauses, taking in Hilda’s eager expression, then adds with forced calm, “I would appreciate it if you looked away momentarily.”

Hilda should have expected this, but a flash of disappointment steals over her anyway. She shrugs it away and shows her back, waiting until she hears Edelgard slip into the bath before turning around again. Edelgard hugs her arms over her chest self-consciously, but it’s a redundant action. The water, murky with minerals, obscures most of her body.

Hilda appreciates the view, anyway. She grins at Edelgard like a maniac until, predictably, the other woman scowls.

“What?”

“This is the first time you’ve taken a bath with me,” Hilda says instantly, with considerable glee. “Because you think the rules don’t apply to you.”

The dig distracts Edelgard from her discomfort enough for her to lower her guard. “You’re one to talk,” she says in amusement, indicating the mostly-empty wineglass nearby. “I’m not the expert, but I’m pretty sure you’ve broken more than a few.”

Hilda slides over, making ripples. She deliberately brushes against Edelgard’s shoulder with her own as she leans in. “You gonna report me?”

Edelgard wets her lips. “No.” Her voice is small, shy. Beneath the water, her hand finds Hilda’s.

“Guess we’re partners in crime, then,” Hilda whispers back.

The thing is, it’s too easy. It’s too easy to thread her fingers through Edelgard’s, too easy to brush away a stray hair from her forehead under a tapestry of stars. It’s too easy to kiss her and nuzzle her cheek and glow with pleasure when she blushes.

Hilda has never in her whole, lazy life wanted something to be more difficult, but now she finds herself wishing that being with Edelgard took just a little bit more effort. She’s used to playing a certain role for the women who hire her. Date or not, work shouldn’t feel so natural, so _right_.

But if it isn’t just work, then what is it?

The steam from the bath seeps into Hilda’s mind, clouding it over. She doesn’t have the luxury to think about what it all means. Edelgard sucks upon the tip of her tongue, and the taste is more intoxicating than any wine Hilda’s consumed tonight. She groans low in her throat.

The need for more is suddenly overwhelming. Hilda breaks off the kiss. As Edelgard watches on with wide eyes, she stands up. The water sloughs off her skin in rivulets, and the blast of cool night air makes her shiver. Just as quickly, however, she’s lowering herself back down, right onto Edelgard’s lap. This close, Hilda’s full chest squashes against Edelgard’s own smaller one, and the other woman gasps at the bare contact.

“Okay?” Hilda has just enough presence of mind to check, though all she really wants to do is cover Edelgard’s white neck with so many hickeys that she won’t be able to leave her house for a full week. She doesn’t want to be too aggressive, especially after the disaster last session. Her insides couldn’t take another beating like that.

Edelgard, however, shows no inclination towards pushing her off. She barely pauses to nod before pulling Hilda back in, and then they are kissing again as if they’d never stopped in the first place.

It’s different, making out in the bath. The water tugs and swirls when Hilda skims her palms up and down Edelgard’s sides, slowing her movements. She can’t tell what’s hotter, the bath or the friction between her own legs as she grinds against her partner. Edelgard puts her hands instinctively on Hilda’s waist to hold her steady as they rock against each other.

There’s no nightgown between them, no annoying barrier of underwear. After all those weeks of teasing and drawing back, she finally has Edelgard naked and under her, and it is _so worth it_. Edelgard doesn’t even flinch when Hilda drags her fingers up her ribs, grazing the curve of her boobs. And when she brings them down lower, tracing the lines of her hips with questioning strokes, Edelgard makes no move to resist.

Somewhere in the back of her head, Hilda begins to wonder how far she can take this. The end goal has always been to get Edelgard to open up to her completely, to break down her walls and help her seek release. But she’s never thought about what would become of their trysts after that. It’s only when she’s allowed to run her thumbs along the inside of Edelgard’s upper thighs for the first time _ever_ that it really hits her - she has no idea what lies ahead.

It’s almost a relief when Edelgard’s legs slam closed. Hilda withdraws quickly, panting a little from both the kissing and from how dizzy the bath is making her, and examines the other woman’s face. There is a familiar mix of lust, frustration, and fear in her normally piercing eyes. Hilda tries not to imagine what Edelgard might be reading in her own.

“I-I can’t,” Edelgard says in a pained whisper. “I’m trying, I really am, but -”

“Shh,” Hilda soothes. She brings her hands around to rub reassuring circles upon Edelgard’s lower back. “It’s okay. I have an idea.”

And she does. She knows exactly what to do, and she isn’t going to let her weird and inexplicable doubts get in the way of showing Edelgard a good time. Goddess knows she deserves it.

So Hilda doesn’t give Edelgard the opportunity to second-guess herself. She just loops her arms around her client’s neck and presses their lips together once more.

She starts off nice and easy, letting Edelgard wind down from her budding panic before it has a chance to take off. Her fingers knead and smooth out the muscles beneath those tense shoulder blades. The world seems to shrink, grow quiet, limit itself to the movement of their mouths and tongues. The only things left are the peaceful lapping of the water and a simmering heat.

Soon, it’s no longer enough for either of them. Edelgard shifts her legs beneath Hilda, her kisses becoming rougher and more insistent. Hilda has been working her over all day, after all, with her flirting and teasing touches. It’s no surprise that the blonde is getting impatient. When she rolls her tongue hard against the flat of Edelgard’s jaw for good measure, she’s rewarded with a growl.

“Hilda…” Edelgard’s palms roam lower, stealing into the narrow space between their bodies. Hilda almost lets her have her way because damn it, she wants something inside of her _now_ , but she resists the temptation of instant gratification. What she has in mind is a lot more fun.

Before Edelgard can get too far, Hilda stops her. She traces a lazy line down over the other woman’s biceps, past the bend of her elbow and strong forearms, and takes gentle hold of her wrists. She flashes her sultriest grin when Edelgard glances up at her in concerned confusion.

“Touch yourself.”

“W-What?”

Hilda leans in, letting a few stray, wet strands of her hair brush against Edelgard’s bare shoulder. She puts her lips right up to Edelgard’s ear as she guides the other woman’s right hand exactly where she wants it.

“Touch yourself,” she says again. “For me.” She feels the way her partner shudders and thrills at the sensation of power that rushes through her. She doesn’t say more, just waits to see if Edelgard will listen to her.

Edelgard does.

Hesitantly at first, the blonde brings her hand the rest of the way into the gap between her own legs. Edelgard gasps, open-mouthed, her legs squeezing together. Her arm flexes against Hilda’s front as she draws back and repeats the motion, this time with more purpose, and then again. Hilda lets go of her wrist so that she can move freely, making sure to dig her fingers into the softness of Edelgard’s thighs in sweet parting. She places her feverish palms flat against Edelgard’s waist instead, coaxing her with long, deliberate caresses.

“I bet you’re sooo wet and ready for me,” she whispers breathily. Edelgard groans low in her throat. Her pace increases, and now Hilda can feel the thrum of the other woman’s heart against her own chest.

Hilda lets out a little whimper herself when Edelgard rocks against her. She wants to taste her _so badly_. Fire, despite the water they’re submerged in, blazes up high in her loins as she imagines sitting Edelgard on the side of the bath and eating her out until she’s screaming. Instead, she bends down to lick thick droplets salty from sweat off Edelgard’s collarbone, sinks her teeth into that supple skin as if to stave off a terrible hunger.

Edelgard cries out. With her free hand, she clutches at Hilda’s shoulder. Her movements are more frantic now, and her nails dig into Hilda’s flesh. The pain sends a pure bolt of electricity straight to the pit of Hilda’s stomach. She hisses and rubs herself against Edelgard, seeking some modicum of relief.

“ _Yes, keep going_ ,” she murmurs. She’s so lost in her own arousal that she doesn’t even care if Edelgard can hear her or not. She just keeps up a steady stream of half-formed sentences, encouragement that falls upon deaf ears. The scalding water swirls around them in choppy waves like a storm-tossed sea, and Hilda might just drown in how fucking perfect it all is.

Beneath her, the muscles in Edelgard’s thighs clench. The blonde’s back arches as she pushes her hips up into her hand, and Hilda has to brace them both against the wall of the tub with one arm to avoid getting bucked off. She cups the back of Edelgard’s neck and drags her forth into another fervid kiss, drinking in each desperate sound she makes.

She feels Edelgard’s climax almost as intensely as it seems to take Edelgard herself. Shudders wrack the CEO’s body as she comes with a sharp cry. Hilda eases her through it, holding her and petting her hair, telling her how good she’s doing. She can’t help but swell with self-satisfaction and pride at what she’s done. Sure, she wasn’t touching Edelgard _directly_ , but she’d gotten to see her client lose more control than she had ever before. A victory for Hilda Valentine Goneril.

When the tremors finally fade away, Hilda lets go and slides off of Edelgard’s lap with a splash. After her shoulders were exposed for so long, it’s good to get back under the warm water. She beams when Edelgard, still lost in the aftershocks of her orgasm, blinks owlishly at her.

“That was so _fucking_ hot,” she purrs, and Edelgard immediately reddens. She begins to turn away, but Hilda grabs her cheeks with both hands to make her look back. “No, seriously. You’re so sexy. The sexiest.”

That draws a huff of laughter from Edelgard, despite her clear embarrassment. She breathes in deep, then says in a shaky, winded voice, “Thank you, Hilda. That’s kind of you to say so.”

Trust Edelgard to resort to sardonics at a time like this. Hilda pulls her in and showers her with a few fond kisses, and when she stops, her partner is smiling with a gentleness that makes her heart flop over. They both share a chuckle that seems to light up the whole night.

Eventually, Edelgard cups one hand over Hilda’s and runs a thumb over the back of it. She clears her throat.

“How about…” She glances down, then back up at Hilda’s face to gauge her reaction. “How about you?”

Hilda almost takes her up on the implied offer. She’s so turned on still that she’d probably come right away if Edelgard even so much as touches her clit. But then she sees the ruddy flush of Edelgard’s skin and how both of their fingers are basically glorified prunes at this point. They’ve been soaking in here for far too long.

With a tortured sigh, she shakes her head. “I really want to, but you look like you’re about to pass out, and I can’t have you dying before checkout. I couldn’t afford to foot the hotel bill.” She reluctantly begins to stand.

Edelgard rises with her, her mouth parting in protest, but when she sways so hard on her feet that Hilda has to grab her to steady her, she seems to reconsider.

“Good idea.”

They step out of the bath, leaning against each other to remain upright. Edelgard, still dizzy from the heat and her orgasm, doesn’t notice Hilda checking out her naked figure when she bends to pick up her discarded towel. Sweet. As a consolation prize, it’s totally worth it. Edelgard has a surprisingly cute butt.

The two of them stumble back down the stairs to their rooms. Hilda leads Edelgard over to the bed so that she can grab some water for the both of them, and when she returns, the businesswoman is already curled up under the covers, her hair untied and still damp.

Hilda makes a shooing gesture. “Scooch, scooch, you mattress hog.” Edelgard obliges and accepts the glass that Hilda offers her. Hilda sets it on the nightstand when she finishes and clicks off the overhead lights, then crawls under the blankets as well.

Settling into Edelgard’s arms is so natural now. Hilda likes the ticklish way the blonde tucks her chin over her shoulder, her breath blowing light across the surface of her neck.

“Thank you,” Edelgard says again, after several minutes of contented cuddling. One of her hands traces an idle pattern upon Hilda’s spine. “Thank you for tonight. You’ve given me more than you know.”

Hilda reaches around to stroke her arm. “That’s my line,” she laughs. “This is the nicest trip I’ve ever been on.”

Edelgard falls silent for so long that at first, Hilda thinks she’s fallen asleep. Just as she’s about to close her eyes and try to get some rest too, however, the other woman speaks again.

“There… there could be more, you know.” She says it so quietly that Hilda isn’t sure if she’s intended to hear it. “A lot more. If you want.”

This is it. This is her ticket to the good life. This is what Hilda’s been aiming for ever since she took up this job. She made the mistake of shutting Edelgard down before, because she’d been surprised and she half-thought it was one of those empty promises people tend to make when they’re happy. But now, all she has to do is say yes, and she’ll never have to work again.

Instead, Hilda remains still. She forces her chest to rise and fall in a more even rhythm, feigning sleep, and throws in some soft, whistling fake snores for good measure. She lies there, facing away from Edelgard, until she hears the other woman sigh. The hands leave her waist, and Edelgard rolls over and away.

Even then, she waits. She waits until Edelgard’s breaths deepen as well, until she’s absolutely sure that her client is asleep. Only then does she turn over onto her back, her eyes wide open in the dark of the room.

_What the hell am I doing?_

It goes against all her instinct and common sense. Her chance was right there, and she not only missed it, she had actively chosen to let it slip away. Hilda usually never regrets her actions, but this is as stupid as stupid gets. She blew it, and she doesn’t even know _why_.

Except, of course, she does. The real reason has lurked in the back of her mind for a long time now, only she never let it emerge to the surface. Every time even an inkling had arisen, she’d shoved it aside. Now, in the harsh light of truth, it’s come to bite her in the ass.

It’s the number one rule of Club Lily. It’s the only one that really matters, the one she’d always been sure she’d have no problem with. But the rule had never accounted for the existence of attractive, sensitive, powerful Hresvelg heirs - was never made with snobby, gorgeous platinum blondes with impeccable fashion sense in mind.

It’s simple, really. Almost comedic in its irony.

Hilda has feelings for Edelgard von Hresvelg.

And she has no idea what to do about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took two whole months! I had a bunch of other obligations and stuff to do in December. That's all out of the way though, so I think updates should be faster from now on (no promises though). If you haven't yet, please consider going to the front of chapter 1 to see the brand new cover for this fic!
> 
> Hakone, Kanagawa is a popular tourist destination about 1 hour from Tokyo. I knew from the beginning I wanted them to go on an onsen date, but no matter how badly I wanted them to go to Kusatsu (which I've actually been to) instead, I just couldn't justify it since that town is much farther and has less modern establishments. Still, I would like to give a shout-out to Kusatsu, Gunma for inspiring me to send these two to the hot springs and highly recommend visiting there if you ever take a trip to Japan.
> 
> Hopefully I get to see Hakone too, someday... Hilda Valentine Goneril, if you're listening -

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be honest, this is kind of the first time I'm writing for a relatively small ship tag. I mostly just wanted to blargh my feelings out because I have many. However, I AM one hell of an egotistical, self-loathing maniac still, so if I don't get a few nice comments or kudos I might lose motivation to continue. In other words, you have to water me... You have to use your comments!!!!!
> 
> Edit: I am legitimately shocked and touched by the outpouring of support I've received. I absolutely promise to see this through to the end, thank you so much for showing me that my writing means something to people! 
> 
> Thanks to dearest AO3 user korewa as always for being the best beta reader/support pillar anyone could possibly ask for.
> 
> Chapter 5 update: This fic now has a cover as well! Thank you so much to @sethkiell on Twitter for this amazing art!


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